Moral Ambiguity
by Razuhfy
Summary: "I wear this mask not because I am afraid of who I am, but because I am afraid of who I will become." What does it mean to be a Shinobi? Will you be good or will you be evil? To deny your destiny is to go against God. And Naruto will do just that. Naru/Ino
1. What's a Shinobi?

**AN: A new story Razuhfy? But you have two in progress! Are you mad?! Yes, yes I am.**

**Welcome**** to Moral Ambiguity****!**

**I'm not abandoning Devil's Advocate or Age Is But A Number! So shut the fuck up. I had an idea and I needed to write it. So, either read it and like it or read it and hate it. I do not care either way. You all know this by now.**

**Join**** the Discord Server all you new people that might read... Or not. ****Invite Code is StPc5Vp**

Disclaimer : Bad Bunny - Caro

"What's a Shinobi, Old Man?"

The quiet scratching noise of pen on paper ceased its actions as the individual being regarded gave a slight hum at the question.

What was a Shinobi indeed?

Glorified mercenaries? Silent assassins? Murderers?

Perhaps he was thinking too deep about the question. After all, what would a young child truly understand about the intricacies of being a Shinobi? The duties a Ninja had to their village outweighed personal desires. Everyday a Shinobi was expected to perform at 110%. There was no room for error when on the field.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the 3rd Hokage of Konoha, shifted slightly in his seat. The chair producing a slight creaking noise due to the years upon years of usage. Old, wizened brown eyes stared into a unique set of heterochromatic eyes that displayed an unusual amount of intelligence in them.

A bright cerulean orb in his left and a dark violet in the right. A mane of unruly spikey blond hair framed the boys face with three jagged, whisker-like birthmarks on his cheeks. A young Naruto Uzumaki. No older than 10 years old. Jinchuuriki of the strongest Bijuu in the Elemental Nations. The Legendary Nine-tailed Fox. A walking catastrophe would best describe the creature.

Hiruzen continued to stare at the boy who's eyes were alight with amusement. It was something that always made the elderly man uncomfortable to an extent. The blond boy always seemed to carry himself with far more maturity than usual. Hiruzen assumed it was due to his lineage but he had learned to trust his gut. It was what kept him alive throughout the years. The boys expression was one of innocent curiosity but the 3rd Hokage knew better.

"A Shinobi is someone who puts the needs of their village above all else. An individual who protects their village to their dying breath."

A small smile formed on the boys face as his head tilted. "What if they don't do that?" The old war veteran closed his eyes as his hands clasped together on his personal desk. "Then they are not a true Shinobi."

The young boy responded with a dismissive hum as he made his way towards the giant window of the office. His mismatched eyes gazed upon the various homes beneath the building. The boys gaze eventually settled on his reflection as he stared at his unique pupils.

"I don't want to be a Shinobi."

Had Hiruzen been a lesser man he would have recoiled at the statement. Most children wanted to be Shinobi when they reached of age to enter the academy. When wars broke out children were usually forced into it. A broken system yes, but an effective one.

"Oh? And why is that Naruto?"

Those eerie, mismatched eyes settled on Hiruzens reflection as a small grin settled on his face. "I don't really care about Konoha."

The elderly Shinobi was silent for several moments as he processed the answer. The boy had an outgoing personality when it came to the public eye but his personal watchers would say otherwise when in private and alone. Naruto was one of the rare individuals in the world that could portray themselves in a manner that only they wanted you to see. A rare feat considering Shinobi were forced to always look beyond the norm.

"What _do_ you care about Naruto?" Hiruzen stared directly at the boy who returned his gaze.

The young blond shifted on the balls of his heels as he clasped his hands behind his back. The boys smile grew in size as he responded.

"I care about myself."

The older male frowned minutely at the response of his ward. "Surely there must be something you care about other than yourself?"

The blond shook his head before shifting his body towards the older man. "Nope. Why should I?" Blond locks bounced as the boy tilted his head. A glint of... something flashed in those hauntingly mismatched eyes before disappearing. It was gone before Hiruzen could truly analyze it.

"Some would call you selfish for that."

The boy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the statement. "What's that mean?"

"It means you don't care about how others feel and only look out for yourself."

The boys smile disappeared as he stared at the mans face for several moments. The boy shrugged his shoulders before making his way towards the door of the office. "Sounds like me."

Hiruzen continued to keep his gaze on the boy as he began to leave the room. As the boy was exiting the room the 3rd Hokage had one last parting statement for the young Uzumaki.

"I've enrolled you in the Shinobi Academy. You start tomorrow. 9 o'clock sharp. Don't be late."

The boy paused in his action for a scant few moments before shaking his head and exiting the office without a word. Hiruzen frowned at the reaction before sighing lowly to himself. The boy had no other choice than to be a Shinobi and if the boy grew up resenting Hiruzen then so be it. For the betterment of Konoha he would do anything.

**Break**

"Stay close to me Ino. We have alot of things we need to do today."

A young girl with platinum blonde hair and light teal eyes shook her head and began to trail after her mother. Child-like curiosity bounding through the young girl as her eyes scanned each and every object in the main marketplace of Konoha.

"What are we shopping for mommy?" The mother of Ino glanced down towards her daughter as she took the young girls hand in hers and guided them through the busy streets. A gentle smile framed the brunettes face as she responded.

"I'm making my special Yakisoba recipe tonight and your father is getting off early today. It's a special occasion after all. You're following in our footsteps." The young girl's eyes widened in joy as her body practically vibrated.

"I can't wait! You make the best food mom!"

The older Yamanaka just chuckled merrily as she slowly weaved her way through the many residents of Konoha. The next few hours passed by rather quickly for the mother and daughter. The young blonde was always a step behind her mother until a small commotion drew her attention. The young girl slowed to a stop as she witnessed a young boy being yelled at by a random merchant.

The young Yamanaka tilted her head curiously and began to move towards the commotion. The Matriarch of the Yamanaka Clan turned her head to see her daughter approaching a small crowd of villagers. A frown appeared on her face as she listened to the curses of a shop keeper.

Ino was within several feet of the commotion before a gentle hand settled on her shoulder. She jumped slightly at the contact and gazed over her shoulder to see her mother staring at the scene with a heavy frown.

"I've already told you before you little shit! You're not welcome here!"

The young blond child being yelled at just smiled through the insult. "I said that I want the mask." The shopkeeper glared at the boy before brandishing a broom.

"Get away from my stand or I'll make you."

Naruto's smile grew bigger at the threat as his mismatched eyes bore into the older man. "You'll _make_ me? That sounds mean." The plump shopkeeper grit his teeth as his hands tighened around the wood. "I'm taking the mask."

Naruto's eyes remained glued to the merchant as he reached for the mask. The shopkeeper finally had enough and made to swing the broom to push the child away. The young boys smile morphed into a small grin at the older mans reaction. The broom was halted in place by a dainty hand before being snapped in half a second later.

"You would harm a child?"

Saya Yamanaka stood in front of the young Jinchuuriki before twirling the broken wood from the broom in her hand. Faster than the man could even blink the tip of the wood made direct contact with the center of his forehead.

"And... dead. It is that easy. What possesses you to even have the gall to harm an innocent child?" The woman continued to stare at the man who was practically frozen in place. The man audibly gulped as his gaze shifted between the woman and the blond boy.

"That's _not_ an innocent child!"

The woman raised her eyebrow before shifting her attention towards the young blond boy who was watching the scene with a small grin. Saya studied the boys face for several seconds before pushing the sharp piece of wood slightly forward. A small cut and a slight dribble of blood ran down the mans nose as the boys grin grew larger.

"He _is_ an innocent child. _You_ are the one threatening a child with violence." The woman glanced towards her daughter who was watching the spectacle with wide eyes. Saya turned her attention back to the boy before motioning her other hand towards the mask he wanted. "Take it, young one. I will pay for it."

The young boy turned to the woman in slight surprise before a toothy grin blossomed on his face. The woman nodded with a gentle smile as the boy gazed at several different masks in the shop. Saya's eyes roamed across several different masks that were on display. The designs were very clean and it seemed as if they were crafted by a master. While the shopowner was most certainly a cretin, he had talent atleast.

Naruto's mismatched eyes landed on a specific mask as he stared directly at it with a puzzled expression. The design of this particular mask was that of a Fox. Three concentric ovals encircled each eye hole. The mouth was more akin to a horizontal line that had a slight upwards dip to emphasize a slightly opened mouth.

A unique design sat below the mouth that resembled the same design of the eyeholes. A bold circle being surrounded by two ovals that overlapped one another. A similar design was placed on the forehead of the mask with the addition of a straight line that went directly down to where the wearer's nose would be positioned. The tips of the ears were colored in and emboldened to give the ears more detail. The entire porcelain mask was all white with the designs being colored a deep crimson.

Naruto stared at the mask for several more seconds before grasping it and placing it on his face. The mask loosely held into his face due to it being too big. The boy tilted his head before moving it so that it only covered half of his face. The mask now covering his cerulean pupil.

Saya stared at the mask with a narrowed gaze. What were the chances that the boy would pick the only Fox-themed mask on display? She found it slightly ironic that he'd choose it. The boys gaze found hers and a smile adorned the boys face. The Yamanaka frowned slightly as a knot began to form in her stomach. Saya stared directly into those violet orbs before a wave of anxiety passed through her body. Her heartbeat began to quicken as her entire body tensed.

"Thank you pretty lady!"

The Matriarch of the Yamanaka almost jumped at the sound of the boys voice. His eyes now being closed due to his toothy grin. The woman furrowed her eyebrows as her pulse began to calm down. What... what was that? She swallowed slightly before glancing towards the shopowner who was now resting against the back wall of his stand.

When had he moved?

"Mommy! You still haven't paid for the mask!"

Saya was interrupted from her thoughts as her daughter pulled on her hand. The woman slowly exhaled before nodding her head. She set the money on the stand before turning towards the blond Jinchuuriki who was now staring at Ino.

"Hi! I'm Naruto. What's your name?"

The young Yamanaka blushed at the boy before waving back. His eye was purple! Her favorite color! They were so beautiful.

"I-I'm Ino... Uhh..." The girl trailed off after stuttering before shyly hiding behind her mother. Naruto tilted his head before walking around the older woman and staring at Ino.

"Why are you hiding? Ooooh! Are we playing hide n' seek? I've never played it before... The other kids don't like me. They always stay away from me." The boy trailed off in sadness after his statement. Saya frowned at the boys tone before glancing towards her daughter and gently nudging her for encouragement. The girl slowly stood in front of the boy before giving him a shy smile.

"I'll... I'll play with you, Naruto."

The boys head snapped towards the young blonde in surprise. "Really? You... want to play?" The girl nodded at the question as a smile morphed onto his face. "Cool! My first friend!"

Saya stared at the interaction between the two children with a keen eye. There was... something in the boys gaze that caused an uncomfortable feeling to settle in the pits of her stomach. His eyes were far too sharp for his age. There was too much intelligence in them... She must be paranoid. Yes, Naruto was a Jinchuuriki but there wasn't anything necessarily _wrong_ with the boy. A little boisterous for sure, but nothing too abnormal.

Saya shook her head before gaining the duo's attention. "Would you like to join us Naruto? Ino and I are just finishing up our shopping. I'll take both of you to the park afterwards." Ino grinned at her mothers statement before nodding her head.

The blond boy stared at Saya for several seconds before nodding his head causing his mask to bobble slightly at the action. The woman smiled softly at the boy before holding out both of her hands for the children to take. Her daughter immediately latched onto her left as the boy remained rooted in place. Saya raised an eyebrow at the boy who was staring at the appendage with apprehension.

"What's wrong Naruto?"

"Do... Do I have to hold your hand?"

The woman frowned at his response before slowly shaking her head. "You don't have to if you don't want to, dear." The blond child nodded his head before moving closer to the woman and standing just out of reach. Saya pursed her lips for several seconds before sighing lowly.

**Break**

"You can't do that Naruto! That's cheating!" Ino stomped her foot in frustration as she glared at her new friend who was sitting in a tree laughing. "Get down here! I'll... Don't make me come up there!" The girl raised her fist in the air and waved it threateningly.

The blond boy swung his legs idly before tilting his head with a smile. "And how are ya gonna do that? You can't use Chakra." The boy grinned as Ino huffed in annoyance. Ino didn't understand how Naruto was able to climb the tree with Chakra. He was the same age as her! Her parents hadn't even started her training.

"How come you know how to use Chakra? That's not fair!"

The boy tilted his head and gripped his chin with his right hand. "Because I'm special!" The girl gave an agitated growl at the response before plopping herself down and resting her back against the tree. The young Yamanaka proceeded to cross her arms and pout. "Awwww! C'mon Ino-chan! There's no need to pout!" The girl gave a 'Hmph' sound and turned her head away as the boy laughed.

Naruto stared down at his new friend before jumping off the large branch he was sat atop of. The boy landed without a sound as he placed his hands in his pockets and smiling at Ino. The girl peeked a single eye open before giggling.

"Why are you laughing?" The boy began to pat his chest and pants as he looked himself over. "Something on my face?" The girl began to giggle more as a small smile formed on Narutos face. The boy sat down beside his new friend as the two began to laugh together.

Saya watched the two children with a narrowed gaze. Her eyes traveled up towards the position that the young Uzumaki had jumped off from.

15 feet.

The woman shifted in her seated position and rested her cheek on her knuckles. The boy not only landed with little effort but he also climbed the entire way up with Chakra. How he learned to control his Chakra to such a degree was astounding. He was a Jinchuuriki with an unprecedented amount of Chakra flowing through his body. To have such finite control of it at such a young age...

Who had taught him?

The woman stared at the ground as she closed her eyes. She had heard rumors through the grapevine about him. She, like a normal person, ignored them. Rumors were just that, rumors. For what reason would she entertain them? According to Anko Mitarashi the boy didn't even want to be a Shinobi.

If that was the case, then why would he go out of his way to control his Chakra? It didn't truly make sense. Saya knew that Hiruzen would force the boy to become a Shinobi whether he wanted to or not. Personally, she disliked the notion. Naruto didn't get a choice in becoming a Jinchuuriki. It was something out of his control and now there was another thing in his life that he had no control over. He would come to hate this village if it persisted. The woman was unaware of what was about to transpire regarding the young boy she was thinking about.

Naruto stared at two boys who stood half a foot taller than him. He raised his visible eyebrow at the boys before smiling at them. "You two look angry." The boys smile grew as the two 12 year olds glared at the boy. Ino frowned at the looks before gripping Naruto's arm in worry.

"Beat it blondie. We wanna talk to the brat here." Ino frowned at the the boy before directing a small glare at him.

"And if I don't?"

The boy sneered at her as he responded. "Then you'll get hurt too."

"Don't threaten Ino again." Naruto stood directly in front of the boy with a small smile adorned on his face. The two boys recoiled slightly as the boy practically appeared in front of them. The Jinchuuriki tilted his head at them before grinning. "You two look scared... What's wrong? Didn't you want to talk?"

The two boys frowned at the question before glancing towards each other. The shorter boy glared at the young blond before placing his hand against Naruto's chest and pushing him backwards. "The only one who should be scared here is _you_."

Naruto's back collided with the tree as Ino shot to her feet. "Hey! Don't push my friend like that!" The taller boy glared at her before raising his hand as if he was going to strike her. Before his hand could touch the girl it was stopped by Naruto.

The blond Jinchuuriki stared at the boy with a blank expression before slowly twisting his wrist. The boy began to grimace and tried to pull away from the masked boy. His teeth began to grit in pain as his knees buckled. "Ahhh! That hurts! Stop!"

Naruto tilted his head at the request before a small smile morphed on his face. "If you say so." Naruto, in a burst of speed, completely rotated the boys wrist before grabbing the appendage with his other hand and twisting it the opposite direction he was twisting it. The blond child then jerked the appendage downwards and let go of the boys hand.

The tall boy screamed in pain as he cradled his broken wrist. The boys scream alerted several individuals including Ino's mother who began to make her way towards the children. She watched with widened eyes as Naruto rotated his hips, shifted his lower body and proceeded to kick the downed boy right across his face.

The boys head instantly snapped backwards as a fountain of blood shot out from the boys mouth. The boys head slammed against the earth with a booming thud as blood poured down his face. Naruto continued to stare at the downed boy with a small smile before shifting his attention to the other boy just slightly out of arms reach. The blond clenched his fist and took a single step towards the other kid. Before he could take another step Saya intervened between the two and gently placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder to prevent his advance.

The woman's light brown eyes analyzed the child who was clearly unconscious. Her eyes trailed down his arm to the very noticeable fractured wrist. It would be atleast 8 weeks before the boy could use his hand again. Her eyes trailed upwards towards the boys broken nose that was steadily dripping blood.

Saya turned her head towards the young Jinchuuriki who's head was tilted with a small smile. It seemed the boy also knew how to augment his body with Chakra as well. That kick was particularly brutal for a young boy no older than 10.

Several parents and other adults began to crowd the scene to get a better look at rhe child. A shrill cry resonated through the crowd as Saya spotted the boys mother. Who else would scream like that?

The plump woman pushed several men and women aside as she reached her child and began to try to assess the situation. Her eyes rapidly scanned over everyone before landing on Naruto. A nasty glare formed on her face as she made to grab the boys shirt.

Saya idly gripped the womans hand before turning her attention to Naruto. "Why did you hurt him?" His violet orb settled on her face before rocking on the balls of his heels.

"He hit Ino."

The woman stared directly into the boy's single visible orb. For several seconds she remained fixated on his eyes before glancing towards her daughter. "Is this true my little flower?" The young Yamanaka glanced towards her new friend before meekly nodding her head.

Saya scrutinized both children for several seconds before nodding her head. She gently gripped Naruto's shoulder before crouching down and facing him. "Try to be more gentle next time, ok? Not every child is able to use Chakra like you can. You can hurt someone very badly"

The young boy nodded his head rapidly before placing his index and middle finger above his brow in a mock salute. "You got it pretty lady!" His violet orb shut as he gave her a toothy grin.

"That's it?! 'You can hurt someone.' Are you daft?! He assaulted my child! Look at his condition!" The plump woman glared fiercely at the Matriarch of the Yamanaka.

"Your child placed his hands on _my_ child." Saya stood to her full height before gently pulling Narutos head into her hip like a mother would. "Little Naruto here protected my daughter." A cold smile blossomed on Saya's face that caused a shiver to wrack the woman's spine. "If you knew how to properly raise your son we wouldn't be in this situation."

The woman recoiled in shock before standing over her child and pointing towards Naruto. "That... You protect that... _thing_?!"

Ino frowned at the harsh words before stepping beside Naruto and pulling his arm towards her body. "Don't talk about Naruto like that! He isn't a thing!" The young Jinchuuriki alternated his gaze between the woman who was practically shielding him from harm and his new friend. His lips parted in genuine surprise at the fact that both were protecting him so fiercely despite only knowing him for a couple of hours.

"You are a bigot. A sad, miserable bigot." Saya slight bent her knee before grasping Naruto's hand and gently tugging him as she started to walk away from the crowd. The young boy made no effort to resist and allowed himself to be pulled by Ino's mother as the girl followed suit with her mother and new friend.

"That little demon will be the end of all of us! You protect what you don't understand! He'll kill us all! You're a foo-" The woman was cut off as a Shinobi in a mask silenced her with a chop to the neck. Several other masked Shinobi appeared in the area and began to move people along.

The ANBU member who silenced the woman glanced at the retreating Yamanakas before looking over the injured child. The purple haired woman picked the child up, made a single gesture with her hand and disappeared. Another ANBU member picked the woman up before disappearing right after.

"Don't listen to her words Naruto. You aren't what they say." Saya glanced towards the boy who sported a small smile despite the harsh insults that were thrown at him.

"She was angry." The boys tone was full of amusement and Saya raises an eyebrow at the... odd reaction. Naruto was proving to be an incredibly difficult child to read. Most children, even those in clans, were easy to understand. It wasn't particularly _what_ he was saying, it was _how_ he was saying it. The boy reminded her of a certain Uchiha prodigy in the village.

"Where are we going pretty lady?" The boys masked shifted on his face as he turned his gaze towards the woman. Saya smiled down at the boy as she responded.

"To my home. Would you like to join us Naruto? I'm making a special dish." The boy blinked several times before nodding his head.

"Yay! You're gonna love it Naruto! Mommy makes the _best_ food ever!" Ino pumped her fist with a small cheer as the boy smiled at her outburst.

"I'm sure she does."

**Break**

Mismatched pupils stared at a plate full of food in slight confusion. The blond picked up one of the utensils before poking the food. "What is this pretty lady?"

Saya paused in her eating before swallowing her food. "It's called Yakisoba Naruto. They are noodles that have been stir fried. Why don't you try some?" The woman gently pushed his plate closer to him as he furrowed his eyebrows.

Ino and Inoichi stared at the boy as he slowly gathered some noodles with his chopsticks before eating the meal. His eyes grew wide before practically shoveling the food down his throat. Saya began to laugh merrily at the boys reaction. The blond boy paused in his actions before giving the woman a grin.

"This is soooooo good!" Saya smiled softly at the boy as he turned his attention back towards his food. He stared at the food for several seconds before a small frown marred his face. "I... I've never had a meal like this."

The woman's eyes softened at the boy as she glanced towards her husband. Inoichi nodded his head slightly before taking a sip of his wine. "You've never had Yakisoba before I take it?" The womans mouth dipped into a frown as the boys eyes glimmered in sadness.

"I've never had someone cook a meal for me..."

Silence reigned in the dining room for several moments following the boys statement. A knot formed in Sayas stomach as her heart lurched. Too often of times did people take for granted the little things in their life. A home cooked meal being one of those things.

"Well if you keep coming over then you'll get to taste more of mommy's cooking!" Ino exclaimed with a small smile before taking a gulp of her juice. A gentle smile formed on Saya's face at the words of her daughter.

Naruto blinked in surprise at the girls words before glancing towards the two adults in the room. Inoichi shrugged lightly before gesturing with his head towards his wife. "If it's alright with Saya, then I don't have a problem with it."

The boys mismatched eyes landed in Saya who nodded her head at the boy. The sheer happiness radiating from the boy was palpable.

This small act of kindess would forever be cherished in the young Jinchuuriki's heart.

**Break**

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for the night Naruto? It's really not a problem."

Naruto placed the mask that Saya had bought for him on the side of his head before smiling at her. She was flanked by her husband while Ino stood in front of the couple.

"It's ok pretty lady." He sketched a small bow towards the family before placing his hands into his pockets. "Thank you for the meal... And for the mask... And for sticking up for me..." The boy sheepily trailed off with a grin as Saya smiled and shook her head.

"It is no problem Naruto. You are welcome to come over whenever you like." The boy gave her a mock salute as Ino broke away from her parents. She shyly made her way towards the boy before giving him a hug. The boy blinked several times before returning the girl's embrace. The girl pulled away with a small blush before retreating back to her parents who were chuckling at the adorable scene. The Jinchuuriki smiled at the family as he began to walk away.

Naruto made his way out of the Yamanaka Clan Compound before aimlessly walking through the village. His mind ran on autopilot as he maneuvered through the crowds. After almost half an hour of walking the boy stopped at the top of the Hokage Monument. A slight breeze of wind ruffled his spikey locks of blond hair as he stared at the village. Several minutes of silence passed by before he jumped over the metal railings and landed on the stone head of the 4th Hokage.

Naruto slowly made his way to the edge of the giant stone bust before sitting down. He began to idly kick his legs back and forth as he stared down at the village. A sinister smile formed on his face as he began to hum a soft tune.

Time.

So much time.

He had plenty of it.

His sinister smile morphed into a grin before he slid his mask down to cover his entire face.

_"There's no meaning to a flower unless it blooms."_

**AN: If the mask design is familiar to you then congrats. It's Menma's mask from Road to Ninja.**

**No****. Saya is not the name of Ino's mother. She doesn't have one so I just came up with it.**

**No****. This isn't an evil Naruto story.**

**Review**** my stories you pigs. **


	2. The Betterment of Konoha

**AN: Y'all really wanted a chapter 2 to this story. Would have been super funny if I didn't update this story for like a month.**

**To**** clarify the previous chapter about Naruto being evil, he's not. It's really that simple. I'm going to toy around the idea of good and evil just being subjective.**

**Naruto**** is going to do what he wants to do. This is important to understand because Naruto has certain standards that he will uphold** **and adhere to.**

If** this doesn't satisfy you, you can suck my dick. Like the previous statement says, he does what he wants.**

**ANYWAY****! JOIN THE DISCORD YOU UGLY CUNTS! ****Invite Code is StPc5Vp**

Disclaimer : Therapy Session - NF

Naruto stood in the middle of his bathroom staring into his reflection with a small frown. His mismatched orbs glanced down towards his sink as he stared at the mask that Ino's mother had purchased for him. Why was it so familiar to him?

The second he saw the mask something within him lurched. It was becoming frustrating. He had most definitely _seen_ this mask before. Somewhere, somehow. He just knew it.

Naruto reached towards the mask and slowly ran his fingers over the porcelain material. His index finger traced the design that sat on the upper half of the mask before slipping towards the ovals on the right eyehole. A sigh escaped him before gripping the object and placing it against his face.

"Who are you, Naruto?"

The boy continued to stare into the mirror for the next hour and a half as he contemplated the question he asked.

**Break**

"Alright class, settle down! I know you're all excited to start your journey in becoming a Shinobi but please calm yourselves." A man with a unique scar that ran across the bridge of his nose requested. A small smile graced his face as the children settled down. He proceeded to lean on his desk with a clipboard in hand and began to call attendance to the class.

A majority of the major clans in Konoha had sent their heirs and heiresses it would seem. Though a large amount of the class was populated with civilian families Iruka doubted that many of them would make it to graduation. The training regiments and qualifications for becoming a Genin were incredibly difficult and most civilian families didn't have Shinobi backgrounds.

Iruka idly called out several names, some he recognized due to their clan names and others who were unknown. Though he slightly paused when he stared at a single particular name. One that made him slightly uncomfortable.

_"Naruto... Uzumaki..." _

Iruka popped his head up and gazed at the entire room full of children as he tried to spot the young child. Several seconds passed by in awkward silence as the students stared at the man in slight confusion. The Chunin frowned before glancing back down towards the clipboard. As he was about to skip the name the door to the room opened drawing the entire class' attention.

"This is room 207 right?"

Iruka's eyes landed on Naruto who gave him an eerie smile. The boy wore a plain black T-shirt with black cargo shorts and a paid of black sneakers. Someone clearly loved the color black... The Chunin frowned lightly at the boy before motioning with his hand. "You're late... Naruto."

"You seem annoyed." His immediate response caused Iruka's frown to deepen. "There it is." Naruto gave the man a small grin as his gaze shifted towards the many children in class. He recognized a few of the students before landing on Ino's shocked face. His grin grew at spotting the girl before waving with his hand.

"Naruto! You're gonna be a Shinobi?" The girl's shocked expression shifted to one of joy before gesturing with her hand. "C'mere! Sit with me!"

The Jinchuuriki glanced at the Chunin for a scant few moments before making his way towards his friend. The boy slowly passed by several children, some of which glared at him in contempt and others who stared at him curiously due to his mask. Naruto reached the row of seats that Ino sat on before staring at the empty spot on her right side. His head tilted slightly before locking eyes with a young boy who sat on the aisle seat.

"Move." The blond Jinchuuriki grinned at the young boy who's eyebrows furrowed at the demand before settling on a glare.

"Did you just tell me to move?" The young boy with ebony hair and charcoal eyes stared into the single violet orb of the blond boy in front of him. Silence reigned in the class for several seconds as the boys stared directly at each other. Ino sported a small frown at the scene and was about to speak before Naruto leaned his head forward.

"Yes. I did. Now move. I want your seat."

Black eyes narrowed at the request before responding dismissively. "Then _make_ me move."

A crooked smile formed on the Jinchuuriki's face before his right hand came to rest on the desk in front of the other boy. "This is the last time I'm going to ask you before I send you _through_ it."

The ebony haired boy finally stood up from his seat and glared viciously at the blond. "You must not know who I am."

Naruto smirked directly at the boy before standing to his full height as well. "Of course not and I don't care." The blond raised his hand and placed his index finger on the Uchiha Clan Insignia that rested on the jacket. "You being an Uchiha means nothing to me." Sasuke immediately gripped the boys wrist as he slung it away.

Ino immediately placed herself between the two boys and gently placed her hands against Naruto's chest. The young Yamanaka did not want a repeat of what happened yesterday. Her mother had punished her for lying because of the altercation and she didn't want another punishment due to it. Naruto wasn't necessarily _wrong_ but he wasn't right either. The other boy would have hit her had he not stopped it.

"Sasuke... Just switch seats with me..." The girl glanced over her shoulder towards the Uchiha who sneered before sitting in her seat with a dismissive scoff. The girl sighed in relief before turning back towards her friend who continued to stare at the Uchiha. She frowned at his expression before grabbing his hand and pulling the boy towards the seat as she sat back down.

The young blond allowed himself to be pulled by his friend before giving an amused retort. "He seems fun."

The platinum blonde girl frowned at the statement before poking his chest. "Stop it." He glanced at her with a raised eyebrow before smiling.

"Naruto Uzumaki... Fighting between classmates is forbidden unless on the training fields."

Naruto glanced at Iruka with a small smile before shrugging. "What if I do it anyway?"

The Chunin frowned at the question before crossing his arms. "You'll be punished."

"That doesn't sound fun."

The Chunin continued to stare at the boy who returned the stare with that ever present eerie smile. This child... The man shook his head before continuing to call off the names of other students.

Naruto's smile disappeared before he laid his hand on his cheek and closed his eyes. This was going to be a waste of time. The basics of the academy were just that, the basics. He already knew how to use his Chakra effectively. Unless the academy was going to go more in-depth with how to properly channel it then he had no reason to even be here.

Naruto sat in his position for the entirety of the class period as Iruka began to describe Chakra and how it was used and produced in the body. All of which was irrelevant in the young boys mind. Chakra allowed you to perform the jutsus and was the life force of all humans... That's it. What else do you need to know?

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The boy was snapped out of hs daydreaming by the stern voice of his teacher who stared at him with his arms crossed against his chest. The young blond slowly opened his eyes and stared at the man with a small frown.

"Have you been paying _any_ attention to what I've been saying for the past 3 hours?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders uncaringly. "Of course not."

The Chunin furrowed his eyebrows in slight annoyance before shifting in his position. "And why is that?" The class of children began to watch the interaction curiously. Naruto didn't respond for several seconds as he thought of how he wanted to reply.

"Because I already know this... This is boring." The boy shrugged his shoulders before opening his visible eye. "When do we get to _actually _train?"

Iruka frowned at the boy and began to lean against his desk. "That doesn't happen until year two of the course."

Naruto scoffed at the answer before slowly standing up. "This is a waste of my time. I'm leaving." Ino stared at her friend wide eyed who placed his hands into his pockets and made to leave the room.

"You can't just leave Naruto." The Chunin frowned at the boy who was slowly making his way down the small steps of the classroom where the desks rested.

"I can't? Then what am I doing right now?" Amusement was littered in the boys response as he made the final step down the small stairs of the classroom. He stood in front of Iruka with a small smile who frowned heavily at the action.

"Sit back down Naruto." The Jinchuuriki raised an eyebrow before a grin formed on his face. Naruto's violet orb bore into the older man for several seconds as he stood still.

A small spike of anxiety crept through Iruka as he continued to stare at the boy. The Chunin subconsciously took a small step backwards before making direct contact with his desk. The wooden object scraped against the floor drawing the older man's attention. Iruka quickly shifted his attention back in front of him only to notice that Naruto was now nowhere to be seen.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion before glancing towards his students. The children returned his stare as Iruka tried to grasp what just happened. He blinked several times before shaking his head.

A small smile adorned Naruto's face as he stepped outside the Academy Building. That was far too easy to do. The boy made it all of two steps before a woman in a Cat themed ANBU mask appeared in front of him with her hands crossed over her chest. The two masked individuals stared at one another for an entire two minutes in silence.

The purple haired woman tilted her head slowly before speaking. "You are being difficult again?"

The boy adopted a grin as his hands rested in his pockets. "My time is better spent elsewhere."

Neko continued to stare at the unique child before shifting her position. "Hokage-sama ordered me to take you back should you try to skirt the academy."

"That's mean."

His response was expected. Neko knew the boy far more than others. She had been his personal watcher for the last 3 years. His mannerisms, his actions, his words. They weren't that of a child. It was noticeable to any and all who ever interacted with the boy. Clearly something was... _off_ about the boy but most either ignored the child due to his condition while others wrote it off as him expressing his self. Children were unpredictable after all.

"You follow the Old Man blindly Nee-chan."

Yugao blinked slowly underneath her mask as the boy shifted on the balls of his heels. He knew that she knew exactly what he was trying to accomplish. She would play along though.

"I'm a Shinobi." Her response was immediate as the boys violet orb gleamed with amusement.

"Oh I know."

Yugao and Naruto continued to stare at one another for another minute before the woman narrowed her eyes. He was beginning to speak alot more nowadays.

"What do you believe a Shinobi is?" It seemed to be the right question to ask because the boys smile increased in size.

"The real questions..." Naruto tilted his head before glancing off towards the village. The boy was quiet for a few moments before directing his attention back on the woman. "A Shinobi... is a dog."

Yugao's eyes narrowed at the boys response. She knew exactly what the boy was implying with that statement. The woman took a step towards the boy before crouching and staring directly into his visible eye.

"Go back."

A cheeky grin pulled at his features as he slowly raised his hand and traced the markings on her mask. "No can do Nee-chan! It's boring in there. I want to have fun."

Yugao allowed the boy to touch her mask as she pursed her lips. On one hand he was absolutely correct. The academy was awful and dull. Someone like him would find no use for it. On the other hand Hiruzen had specifically ordered the boy to attend the academy. Naruto already knew how to use his Chakra and she doubted that learning more about it would benefit him. He was already learning subjects revolving around the application of Chakra by himself. Of course... she had given him the pointers to begin with.

Naruto's gentle ministrations ceased as the woman tilted her head before placing her hand atop his head. "How about a deal?" A small smirk formed on her face as his eyes gleamed curiously. There were few things that could entice the boy and anything revolving around deals, aggrements, and word of honors demanded his attention.

"I'm listening."

Yugao ruffled his hair for a few moments before speaking. "Finish the first month of the academy and I'll teach you something that'll allow you to skip the academy in it's entirety." She smiled as the boy began to grin in excitement.

"I'll never have to come back?"

Yugao's long tresses swung from side to side side as she shook her head. "Never again." The boy narrowed his eyes before raising his hand.

"Shake on it." Had she been a lesser woman she would have snorted in amusement at the boys actions. Yugao had honor despite being a Shinobi. She upheld any bargains that she made. The woman's gloved hand gently gripped his smaller one before dipping it down in a show of faith.

"Have I ever lied to you before, Naruto-kun?"

"That's why you're my favorite, Nee-chan." The boy smiled as he let go of the woman's hand before about facing and making his way back into the academy. Yugao watched the boy the entire time before disappearing. A sinister smirk morphed on the boys face as the doors to the building shut behind him.

_"Unexpected but ultimately a welcomed outcome..."_

**Break**

Naruto sighed to himself as he sat outside the academy. It had been several days since he and Neko had made the deal and he was slightly regretting it. It was so boring here. Naruto glanced at the brown paper bag in front of him as a small glare formed on his face. The boy opened his bag and pulled out a small, red apple. His violet orb gazed at the fruit for several seconds before he began to squeeze it.

He hand began to tremble for a few seconds before the fruit was ultimately crushed due to the boys strength. The blond stared at the fruit with a sense of detachment as the juices dripped from his hand. The mushed pieces of the apple slowly slipped to the ground as Naruto slowly unclenched his fist.

"Naruto! Heeeeey!"

The boy shifted his attention to Ino as the girl made her way towards his table. He immediately wiped his hands clean using a napkin before smiling as the girl got closer. The bubbly girl sat down beside Naruto as she placed a bento box on the table.

"What cha doing eating out here alone?" The girl tilted her head causing her pony tail to bounce.

Naruto glanced at the napkin in his hands as he began to gently ball it up. "Don't really like being in crowds all that much." He gave the girl a small smile as he began to tie up his brown paper bag.

Ino glanced at the bag with a small frown as she unwrapped her lunch. "Do... Is that all you have to eat?"

Naruto glanced down at the bag before shrugging. "I don't really eat all that much."

The Yamanaka scooted closer to her friend as she moved the boy's bag away. "Here. You can have some of mine." She glanced over at the boy with a small smile. "It's _really_ good."

Naruto stared at the girl for a few moments before glancing down at the assortment of different foods. It did look rather tasty... As he reached for a piece of the food his hand was gently slapped by the girl. He shook his head in slight annoyance before staring at Ino who had a chesire smile on her face.

She gathered some of the food with her chopsticks before placing it near his face. "Say 'ahh'." The boy looked at her indignantly as Ino continued to try to place the food in his mouth. After several seconds of the food hovering near his face the boy caved.

A giant smile morphed on Ino's face as she began to feed Naruto some of her lunch. "See? Wasn't so hard. It's good right?" The boy nodded in agreement with a muffled hum. Ino continued to feed the boy with her occasionally taking her own bites.

"Why did you come back to class that one day?" The girl idly began to peel her orange as she glanced at her friend. Naruto glanced at her for a few seconds before turning towards his brown paper bag and balling it up.

"The Hokage forced me to go back." He shrugged afterwards before throwing his trash in a can that sat a couple feet away. "It's boring here. I already know this stuff."

Ino tilted her head before throwing her left over peels in the bento box. "Then why don't you tell him that?"

Naruto scoffed at the question before resting his cheek on his fist. "He won't listen."

"Never know until you try." She began to swing her feet back and forth as Naruto remained silent. The girl glanced towards her friend before picking up her chopstick and poking him on the nose. A giggle escaped her as his nose curled up from the action. She twirled the chopstick in her hand before placing it inside her bento box. "C'mon! The day is almost over. After class we can go to my house!"

The blond Jinchuuriki sighed before slumping in the table. "Don't wanna..." Ino smiled at the boy before grabbing ahold of his hand and dragging him off the bench. The boy refused to even stand to his feet as Ino struggled to pull him. She dug her heels into the ground and began to pull with all her weight.

Naruto smirked before allowing the girl to pull him off the bench. The shift in weight caused Ino to yelp as she tripped backwards. Her skirt rumpled lightly as Naruto was dragged towards her. His eyes began to widen in shock as the girl held on and he toppled over her. Naruto tried to lighten his fall as much as possible as to not cause harm to the petite girl. Ino gave a small grunt as her back connected with the soil with Naruto's hands landing beside her head.

The girl shook her head and blinked several times only to notice her friend staring at her in concern with those beautiful mismatched eyes of his. A small blush colored her face at the position as she tried to wiggle out from under the boy.

"You ok Ino?" The girl responded with a nod of the head not trusting her voice. The boy smiled down at her before slowly removing himself off her and gently pulling her to her feet. "That's good. Sorry about that!" He grinned at the girl before gently grasping her hand and pulling her towards the academy. Ino trailed behind and allowed her self to be pulled by her friend. Her face was red with embarrassment as she glanced several times towards her fellow blond.

"If your mom promises to cook food then I'll definitely come over!" The whiskered child exclaimed.

"I feel like you're using me to get mommy's cooking." The girl petulantly replied to her friend.

A sly smile appeared on Narutos face as he shrugged lightly. "Maaaaaaaaaaybe." The boy began to laugh as Ino huffed in exasperation.

**Break**

"You remain idle, Hiruzen."

The aforementioned man glanced towards the person speaking before closing his eyes. "I'm observing the boy."

Danzo stared at Hiruzen for several seconds before shifting his cane. "And how long will you observe him? You know as well as I do that something is not right with him."

The Sandaime Hokage shifted in his seat before slowly and meticulously packing his pipe with tobacco. He lit the object with a simple application of Katon chakra and inhaled a generous amount of the addictive substance. "His personal watcher has observed him for several years now. Abnormal behavior from a child with his condition is not entirely unsurprising."

Danzo narrowed his eyes before speaking tersely. "And how are you so sure that his watcher isn't providing cover for him? He is too similar to Itachi in that regard."

Hiruzen sighed at the man as he took another drag of his pipe. What Danzo was insinuating was... interesting. Neko did always have a soft spot for the boy. But he doubted very much so that the woman could be manipulated. Naruto was incredibly intelligent but there was no way he could get inside the head of a seasoned ANBU Captain. But... there was always a possibility. Children like Itachi and Naruto were one of a kind in this world. The only problem with Itachi was the he was pushed too far. Hiruzen found that particular thought slightly ironic.

"You would only insinuate such things if you had some sort of proof." The Hokage stared into Danzo's eyes before speaking slowly. "Which would mean you are watching him." Hiruzen laid his pipe on the table before staring at the man pointedly. "I've authorized no such thing. You will refrain from continuing to do so."

The two rivals stared directly at one another for several tense moments before Danzo eventually shut his visible eye and nodded. "You are making a mistake."

"I've made many in my life. What is one more?" Hiruzen took another drag of his pipe before sighing. "I can assure you that Neko is performing her duties with Konoha's interest in mind."

The crippled war hawk shut his eye for several moments before slowly rising from his seat. "For your sake, as well as Konohas, I hope she is. We don't need another incident like Itachi." The crippled man vacated the office leaving Hiruzen to his thoughts.

The village couldn't afford another incident like with Itachi. Too much pressure on one so young... It was truly a tragedy. Itachi had always been a calm and talented child. Humble and well mannered. So it came as a shock to the village when he... cracked.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes as he took a drag of his tobacco. The Uchiha clan may have been difficult individuals to get along with in the village, but their annihilation at the hands of their most powerful prodigy since Madara Uchiha was unfortunate. Several members had survived the teens rampage but the damage had already been done.

No one truly understood what had happened for Itachi to just seemingly snap as he did. The youngest S- Rank Shinobi in the Elemental Nations at just 14 years old. He had slaughtered more than half of the Shinobi in the Uchiha Clan, most of which were comprised of seasoned Jonin. After being discovered by a patrolling ANBU unit he killed the members and severely injured the Captain before fleeing the village.

A handful of the Uchiha lived on but it was a night that many would mourn. The Uchiha's were an integral part of Konoha. Naruto was exhibiting signs of following in the boys footsteps. He was a boisterous individual and Neko could attest to it but she had also stated that he allowed you to perceive what you want.

The woman had explained that it was similar to a game of sorts to the boy. She was the only person who was in constant contact with the boy. Hiruzen didn't truly understand the explanation but he got the gist of it. Perhaps Danzo's concerns were well found... The only person in the village with the knowledge of how Narutos mind worked was Neko.

There was only so much Hiruzen could do in regards to Naruto. The blond was incapable of being read by the Yamanaka Clan. It was a danger to both should they try to delve into his mind. Making a proper diagnosis would be incredibly difficult. Hiruzen was well aware of the sociopathic tendencies that Naruto harbored. And if he was being honest... He felt that Naruto _knew_ that he knew this information. And it all circled back to the situation with Itachi.

The same symptoms were being shown and Hiruzen knew that it would be far more volatile. Naruto could end up like Orochimaru and that was something that truly scared the man. He would need to find a way to balance Naruto's more negative attributes and place him in situations that would net postive gains...

The elderly man narrowed his eyes as he thought back to a report given by Neko just under a week ago. The boy had taken a keen interest in the Yamanaka Clan heiress. For what reason? It was entirely up in the air but considering Naruto had been invited into their home it was something to look out for. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. It would take some time and many negotiations but he could make this work.

Hiruzen pulled out a scroll and began to scribble his thoughts on the parchment. Ino Yamanaka was the first thing that Naruto had truly shown an interest in.

_"For the betterment of Konoha..."_

**Break**

Naruto and Ino walked hand in hand towards the Yamanaka Clan compound to spend the rest of the day together. The time had passed by pretty quickly for the couple and once the bell signalled for the students to leave they were the first to immediately leave.

Naruto quietly listened to Ino as she described how several types of flowers bloomed and which seasons they would bloom in. She was very knowledgeable in the flora department. Knowing many native plants that grew within Fire Country and their names. If the boy was being honest, it was impressive. She was clearly very passionate about flowers. It was cute.

"And there are these specific subspecies of plants that grow only near the waterfalls of Fire Country and when they bloom they take on the shape of a square with..." The girl trailed off slightly as she noticed the boys amused expression. Inos face began to color red as she realized she had gone off on a complete tangent about flowers.

Naruto glanced at Ino with a small grin before tilting his head. "You're cute when you talk about flowers." He began to laugh as the girls blush grew in intensity. "Keep going. Your knowledge about flowers is interesting."

The young girl glanced at her friend shyly before replying. "Are... You sure? I don't want to bore you... People think I'm weird when I talk about flowers and stuff... I just love flowers." Her eyes found the ground after speaking.

Naruto stared in her direction for several moments before gently squeezing her hand. "So? Who cares what people think? Do and say what makes you happy." He shrugged his shoulders with a small smile as Ino turned towards him in slight shock. "Like I said, keep talking. I enjoy listening to you speak."

A small smile morphed on Inos face before she began to continue on about flowers and their traits. The entire time Naruto listened to the girl with a small smile. The children made it to the compound as Ino continued to speak about flowers. Several clan members watched the couple walk through the compound in slight amusement. They knew of Ino's... obsession with flowers.

The blonde couple reached the main house of the compound before entering it. The two began to make their through the house before stopping short of the living room due to hearing Inoichi and Saya speaking to one another.

"Inoichi! He's using her as a tool! Be rational!" Saya's voice exclaimed rather loudly. The sound of Inoichi sighing heavily was heard before the man began to speak.

"I know Saya... I'm not disagreeing with you. Hiruzen has his beliefs and-" He was cut off from speaking as Saya slammed her hands on the table.

Ino jumped at the rather loud noise as Naruto gently squeezed her hand. He began to move closer towards the entrance of the living room and peeked his head out slightly with Ino a step behind.

"Do _not_ justify his reasonings! My daughter isn't some political tool to be paraded around like a monkey!" The woman screamed in frustration as Inoichi grimaced. Her husband began to rub his face with both hands before sighing.

"What would you have me do Saya? My hands are tied..." The woman trembled in aggravation as she bounced her legs from her spot on the couch.

"I... I don't know! I just... I." The woman began to tug on her dress before sighing heavily. "I want my little flower to be happy... She doesn't deserve to be forced into situations because the Hokage finds it 'convenient'. I don't want to force her to do anything she doesn't want to do..." The woman was pulled into an embrace by her husband as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. He kissed her head lovingly before responding.

"I know... I know my love. I will... See what I can do."

The two adults heard a slight creaking of wood before turning their heads towards the noise. The couple spotted Ino and Naruto glancing from behind a wall as Ino glared at her friend for making a noise. The boy sheepishly rubbed his head while apologizing. The scene caused the married couple to smile slightly.

"Naruto Uzumaki! Ino Yamanaka!"

The two children froze at the voice of Saya as she slowly stood from the couch with her hands on her hips. She stared at them with a stern visage before calling them into the room. The two blonds slowly made their way to the woman who began to smile down at them.

"It's rude to eaves drop you two." She placed her hand on Ino's cheek and gently began to caress her face before glancing at Naruto. "How much did you two hear?"

The boy shrugged with a small smile before tinkering with his mask. "Uhh... Alot."

Saya nodded slightly before sighing. "How about I make a home cooked meal hmm?" She chuckled at the sight of the two children who grinned with joy at the question. The woman gestured with her head before speaking. "Run along and go play. I'll call you when the food is ready." The two children nodded their heads before running off to the backyard.

"Well... It isn't all that bad is it?" Inoichi grasped Sayas hand in his own and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

The woman sighed to herself before pulling Inoichi towards her. "...they are rather cute together..." She buried her face in the crook of the mans neck as he began to laugh.

"Come. I'll help you cook."

Saya scoffed at her husband before pulling away. "You'll do more harm than good. Last time I let you cook you burned the meal. You'll wait just like the children will."

Inoichi began to laugh before following his wife into the kitchen to harass her. The married couple throwing shots at one another that had no real venom behind it. Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad.

**AN: Nerds. Important question! What do you guys think about timeskips? I'm not really a huge fan of them in my stories but I ask for the sake of doing so. I can definitely continue to write as is and give you glimpses into Narutos mind but it never hurts to ask. Let me know what ya think! **


	3. A Compromising Position

**AN: Sup. Here's another.**

**ANYWAY****! REVIEW MY SHIT AND JOIN MY DISCORD! Invite Code is StPc5Vp**

Disclaimer : Bad Bunny - Ni Bien Ni Mal

Kage Bunshins were an incredibly interesting jutsu. They took on your looks, mannerisms, abilities... They were even capable of individual thought. Shadow Clones were very much self aware and it was noticeable. They instinctively knew that they were but a hair's breath away from 'death' at all times and would act recklessly at the behest of their master.

Mismatched orbs studied the entity that stood in front of them with a scrutinizing gaze. Naruto tilted his head as the dopple ganger mimicked his actions. A small frown began to form on the boy's face the longer he stared at it. There was something... off about his clones.

They weren't _him_.

Not in the conventional sense, he knew this. But a Kage Bunshin was supposed to be an exact replica of the individual who was using the jutsu. Naruto felt no sense of similarity when gazing into the eyes of his clones. They didn't _think_ like him, didn't _talk_ like him and most certainly _weren't _him.

"Who... are you, Naruto Uzumaki?"

The Kage Bunshin stared back at the boy before a crazed smile formed on its face as it replied to its master.

"I'm _you_."

The clone immediately dissipated into a cloud of smoke after its statement as the blond boy frowned.

**Break**

Naruto shifted his porcelain mask as he waited outside the main building of the Yamanaka Compound. Ino's birthday party was going to be happening today and Saya had told him to occupy the girl for the day. The boy found it slightly amusing that the girl was unaware of exactly what day it was. It made his job much easier to accomplish.

The girl in question came bounding out the house with a bag strapped over her shoulders. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the bag before glancing towards the bubbly blonde. She was in a simple, white sundress with several sunflowers placed on the fabric for design. Her back was turned to him as she yelled back into the house to inform her parents she'd be back. The girl turned towards him and flashed him a beautiful smile. He returned the gesture with a small smile of his own and a slight incline of his head.

The girl bounded down the steps of her home before hooking her arm through his and skipping off towards... wherever she was deciding to drag him to. He didn't mind all that much. Whatever she wanted to do, he'd do.

Ino was... an enigma. His gaze remained on her as she spoke about the several things they were going to do today. He was listening but at the same time wasn't. He was focused on her and only her.

It seemed the voices in his head would always quiet down when around Ino, as if wanting to hear anything and everything she spoke about. Whether it was about clothes or the wonderful world of flora. She seemed to somehow have a way to curb his more... violent urges and impulses.

Even now, when the voice he had grown so accustomed to hearing when growing up and was contributed to his more violent actions, was silent.

_That_ voice...

Naruto knew that voice. Atleast he thought he did. It was familiar yet so alien. It was his own but more twisted in nature. A side of him that he neither repressed nor embraced. It just _existed. _He was aware of it and it was aware of him. He hadn't remembered a day when the voice wasn't with him.

The voice was muffled most of the time and could barely be heard over the more aggressive desires that bounded in his thoughts. But he was able to drown out those thoughts and focus solely on that voice when it spoke. The words he could hear, which weren't much, were usually bits and pieces of information.

Naruto had learned to walk on water because of this voice. Neko had explained that tree walking was easy and that water walking was something done when your Chakra Control was more fine tuned. The voice had only said that the distribution of Chakra had to match the movements of the water because the water was always moving. It wasn't stationary like trees and walls. You needed to work _with_ the water instead of against it.

Naruto blinked several times as Ino's face appeared in his vision. The girl had a small pout as she tugged on his arm. "Narutoooooooooo! You aren't listening." The boy blinked again before glancing around the area they were now in. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he noticed that they were on top of the Hokage Monument. Had he truly been lost in his thoughts?

"Sorry... Was just thinking." The girl frowned at the answer before huffing slightly.

"As I was saaaaying!" Naruto smiled at the girl's exasperated tone. "Mommy made some sandwiches and I wanted to have a little picnic on top of the Monument and gaze at the village." She pulled him along as she continued to speak. "After this, You're gonna teach me how to walk up trees!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow as Ino pushed through the metal gate that was used as a deterrent for civilians so they didn't 'deface' the monument. "If that's what you want then sure." The platinum blonde pumped her fist in joy as she guided him to the 4th Hokages bust.

The girl unlatched from his arm and began to rummage through her bag. She pulled out a black blanket and proceeded to meticulously place the fabric down before taking several small sandwiches out of the bag and placing them on a plate. She proceeded to pull out a large jug of juice and two cups before placing them on the blanket. How did all of those objects even fit in her bag?

"C'mon!" Ino patted the spot next to her as she tucked her dress underneath her and sat down. Naruto blinked several times before sitting down and staring into the village.

A wave of anger and happiness swirled in his body as he gazed at the village. It was like this all the time... An extreme hate for Konoha but at the same time an extreme love for it as well. It was his home and he should be happy... But he was always _angry_. Fueled with vitriol from the treatment of strangers for something he had no control of.

Naruto's hand clawed at the soft fabric beneath him as his mismatched pupils gazed at the many buildings standing in Konoha. There were days he would envision himself toppling these very same buildings. Sometimes in dreams... other times in his thoughts. Being alone with his thoughts were always dangerous. Everytime his head hit his pillow he would be in another life.

Another _Naruto_. Someone who possessed the same face and same voice but different mannerisms. He didn't understand the dreams and if he was being honest... he didn't really _want_ to. He always felt like there was two people tugging on his arms. Pulling him to be this person and vice versa.

Who was Naruto Uzumaki?

What did it mean to be Naruto Uzumaki?

"Hey Naruto? What's the _one_ thing in the world you want the most?"

The boy in question was roused from his thoughts at the question that Ino asked. "Huh?" The boy tilted his head curiously as Ino turned towards him with a smile.

"What's one thing in the world that you want the most?"

Naruto blinked at the question before grasping his mask and placing it in his lap. His eyes gazed at the porcelain material before slowly running his finger over it. The young Yamanaka stared at her friend with slight concern as she noticed the small frown on his face.

"Clarity."

Ino tilted her head with furrowed eyebrows before speaking. "Clarity? What's that?"

"Uh... I want things to make sense..." The boy's mismatched pupils continued to gaze at the mask as Ino began to scoot closer to her friend. She gently placed one of her hands on top of the boys own and began to stroke his hand. Several seconds of silence passed by before Naruto continued to speak.

"There are times where I feel like I don't know who I am... It's uh." The boy's expression shifted several times in frustration as his hands gripped his mask tighter. "It's weird... There are days where I feel like I'm not... living."

Ino's head tilted in confusion as she gently stroked the boys hand. "Like... you're not _living_?" She watched as the boy's eyes narrowed before a frown morphed on his face.

"Like... Ah. Uh... I can see everything that's happening in front of me but I'm unable to do anything about it... I'm sorry. I know it doesn't make any sense." Naruto sighed heavily as Ino shook her head.

"No no... Um. I'm probably not the best person to talk about these things. Hehe... Uh. Daddy is usually the talker... But is there anything I can do to maybe help you?" She watched as she boy's eyes became slightly unfocused before he slowly blinked. Several seconds of silence passed by before the boy slowly shook his head.

"You being my friend is enough." Naruto glanced at Ino out the corner of his eye before slowly placing his mask back onto his face. "I'll be fine." Ino tilted her head at the slight 180 before the boy flashed her a toothy grin. Her teal eyes averted with a slight blush as she placed her hands into her lap.

"C'mon! Let's teach you how to walk up some trees! We can do it in the park." A smile formed on Ino's face as she shot to her feet and began to gather the plates, cups, and left over sandwiches before placing them in her bag. She picked the the jug of juice up before placing inside the bag in top of the other items.

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go~!" The girl began to roll up the blanket as Naruto stood to his feet with an amused glint in his eyes. A small smirk formed on his face before shifting to a small smile as the girl turned her attention on him with a tilted head.

Ino reached for the boy's hand and began to move before being halted in place. She turned her head towards Naruto who was staring into the village with a narrowed gaze. As she was going to question her friend about his lack of movement he began to speak.

"Go ahead and make your way down the monument. I'll catch up in a second."

A small frown formed on Inos face at the boys statement as she gently squeezed his hand. Naruto turned towards her and gave her a small smile with a nod of his head. She returned the boy's smile and began to skip towards the gate without another word. Naruto watched her retreating form for several seconds before staring off into the village.

Naruto's arms crossed against his chest as the sound of wood clacking against hardened earth invaded his hearing. The Jinchuuriki slowly turned his gaze towards the elderly man who now stood slightly out of arms reach. His violet orb stared at the wooden cane in the elderly man's hands before shifting towards the man's face.

The young boys masked visage bore into the elderly mans single visible eye. Neither spoke to each other as the air began to thicken with tension. After an entire minute of silence Naruto's head began to tilt as a small smile formed on his face.

"You're dangerous."

The elderly man continued to stare at the young boy in front of him before shifting his cane slightly. "Your little facade does not fool me." Danzo watched as the boy's visible eye glinted with amusement.

"Facade? What's that mean?"

Danzo continued to stare at the boy choosing not to respond to the question. He knew how dangerous Naruto could be and was far more aware of it than his old rival was. "I'm not Hiruzen boy... And I do not have a problem doing what I believe is best for Konoha."

Danzo immediately detected a slight shift in the boy's eye. It was fleeting and disappeared almost immediately after appearing. But what Danzo had saw... There was something inhuman in that gaze. Something twisted and dark.

"You Shinobi are all the same." The young blond shifted his attention away before placing his hands into his pockets.

Danzo narrowed his gaze before lightly tapping his cane against the rock softly. "Threats to Konoha are dealt with swiftly."

Naruto slowly closed his eyes as a smile appeared on his face. "Konoha rots from the inside. If I were you... I'd sleep with one eye open." The statement caused Danzo's eyes to narrow even further. The young Jinchuuriki began to walk away from the elderly man while waving his hand over his shoulder uncaringly. Before reaching the gate of the Monument he spoke one last time.

"The Grim Reaper of Konoha is always watching."

Danzo's grip on his cane tightened as the young blond disappeared from the monument. The elderly man was intimately familiar with that nickname and the individual who possessed it. The youngest S-Rank Shinobi to ever grace the Elemental Nations and quite possibly could be named the most talented as well.

Itachi Uchiha...

This boy... He was proving to be far more dangerous than Danzo thought. He would need to move discreetly from now on. Itachi had been one of the boy's watchers when he was younger before Yugao had took over after the Uchihas promotion to ANBU Captain. Danzo would need to deal with Neko discreetly if she was being compromised.

**Break**

Naruto possessed a small smile as he took slow steps down the massive stair case leading down the monument. Placing his hands in his pockets he glanced towards his right and smiled at Neko who was crouching on the metal guard of the stair case.

"Is it wise to tip your hand so soon?" The purple haired woman tilted her head after her question as the boy shrugged lightly before shifting his body towards her and tugging his mask over his face.

"It doesn't matter. The Old Man is likely already connecting the dots in regards to Itachi..." Neko remained in her crouched position before inclining her head and glancing down towards the bottom of the stair case.

"They are still watching."

The young blond shrugged his shoulders before raising his hand towards his masked visage and exclaiming loudly. "I will be more careful next time Yugao-Neechan!" He proceeded to wave at the woman before continuing on his journey as Neko stared at his retreating form. The woman continued to stare at the boy before disappearing in a shunshin to look over her ward from afar.

He was truly kicking things off now.

**Break**

"Nononono!" Ino yelped as her vision focused on the ground that was rapidly approaching. The girl shut her eyes as she awaited for the inevitable pain from falling down the tree. Several seconds went by before she slowly opened her eyes to the amused face of her best friend.

"You think I'd let you fall?" Narutos left arm rested underneath the girls legs as his right arm looped around her back. The girl's face began to heat up as she averted her gaze from the blond Jinchuuriki. The young boy was silent before shrugging his shoulders. "Let's head on back to the compound. You got running and walking down pat. Which is _way_ better than I managed to do on the first day."

A swell of pride blossomed in Ino's chest as she let the boy's praise wash over her. "We-well I'm just that talented." She tilted her head up slightly as Naruto began to slowly walk towards her bag whilst still carrying her.

"Yes. That and you have less than a sliver of my entire Chakra pool."

Ino's cheeks puffed up in annoyance as she began to squirm in her friends hold. "Stop bullying me!"

The 11 year old Jinchuuriki just grinned as he hooked his foot under the straps of the girl's bag and with a show of dexterity, flinged it on to the girl's lap. Ino began to try to detach herself from her friends hold before Naruto shook his head stopping her.

"Nah... I think I'll carry you."

"B-but I can walk just fine Naruto..."

"Yeah but I _want_ to do this. Is it a problem?" The boy tilted his head at the girl who's cheeks began to burn. The young Yamanaka slowly shook her head before relaxing in Narutos hold.

"Good! Onward! To the Yamanaka Clan Compound! Where the pretty lady will make us delicious food!"

Ino pumped her fist to the boys cheer as she joined in. "Mommy's food! Mommy's food! Mommy's food!" The two young blonds proceeded to laugh at their cheers as they made their way to the Yamanka Clan Compound.

**Break**

"Why haven't I chosen a successor yet?" Hiruzen uttered to himself as he stared at a rather lengthy document filled with miscellaneous drabble. Being a Kage was a bothersome responsibility but at the end of the day he chose to be it.

Well... not really. Tobirama kind of just dumped the responsibility on him when he sacrificed his life to the Ginkaku/Kinkaku Hunting Squad. But nevertheless, he still chose to continue serving as the Hokage even after Minato's death. In hindsight he definitely should have recalled Tsunade or Jiraiya back and demand them to take the hat. He wasn't getting any younger.

The elderly man continued to grumble and gripe to himself for the next 10 minutes completely unaware that someone was standing in front of him. The individual in the middle of the room continued to stare at the Hokage with amusement as he placed his hands into his pockets. Perhaps he should call attention to himself? Hiruzen did call him here to speak with him about something important.

"Losing your touch there, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen tensed at the voice as his gaze immediately snapped up to find one of his most prominent Shinobi just staring at him. The elderly man sighed to himself as Kakashi Hatake began to chuckle to himself. The 3rd Hokage grumbled quietly before placing his utensil on his desk and clearing his throat.

"When did you even get here Kakashi?"

The Sharingan wielder shrugged his shoulders with an eye smile before responding. "Awhile ago. I wanted to see how long it'd take for you notice me. You know that I'm a people watcher."

"Your voyeuristic tendencies continue to amaze me."

Kakashi peeked an eye open before lightly shrugging. "Everyone has their fetishes Hokage-sama." Hiruzen proceeded to exhale through his nose before clasping his hands together and eyeing the Jonin with a hard gaze.

"There's a reason I called you here today Kakashi." The Hokages statement caused the silver haired Shinobi to stand taller. "I have been looking into some things regarding Itachi's actions and the subsequent events that lead to his breakdown." Kakashi nodded his head slowly before crossing his arms against his chest.

"I have noticed a... pattern. One that is beginning to surface yet again but with another member that was a part of Team Ro." Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows at the statement before tilting his head.

"Who?"

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes before pulling out a thick folder from underneath his desk. He slowly opened the folder before skimming through several pages and rotating the document towards Kakashi. The man leaned in towards the desk before frowning at the page the Hokage was showing him.

On the page was a picture of Yugao's Shinobi ID. Most of the document was redacted due to her tenure in the ANBU but Kakashi knew that this went far deeper. Somehow Yugao was being connected to Itachi and the only similarities the two possessed were being in ANBU, being a part of Team Ro, and...

Kakashi's lips parted before staring into Hiruzens eyes. "You... are sure about this?"

Hiruzen glanced towards Yugao's folder before sighing lowly. "Itachi was Naruto's watcher for 3 years. During those 3 years there were many abnormalities that were overlooked due to his unique position in the Shinobi Corp and because of his age. I wrote the behavior off due to his age and thought process but clearly that was a mistake."

Hiruzen went silent for several seconds before pulling out his trusty pipe and packing it with tobacco. "As you know, Yugao has been watching the boy for close to 4 years now. I have reason to suspect she has been compromised."

Kakashi stood frozen in astonishment at the man's statement. "You believe that... _Naruto_ _Uzumaki_... has not only manipulated one of the most talented Shinobi in Konoha but that he has done it _twice_ now?"

Hiruzen inhaled a healthy amount of tobacco before blowing out the addictive substance slowly. "Mikoto has come to me recently about some things that revolved around Itachi that he should have no knowledge of regarding their clan and the happenings _inside_ of Konoha." Kakashi tilted his head in confusion before gesturing with his hand for an explanation. Hiruzen sighed before closing his eyes and spinning in his chair while raising his pipe.

"Itachi had knowledge of the inner workings of the Uchiha clan despite the fact that Fugaku forbade Itachi from any of the Clan's meetings due to his duties in the ANBU Corp." The elderly man proceeded to stand up from his chair and slowly walked around the room while glancing at the portraits of the previous Hokages. "Now, that's not really groundbreaking information because of how talented Itachi was in the clan. But... Itachi knew about Danzo's plan regarding the Uchiha Coup..."

Kakashi frowned at the statement before crossing his arms. "But... That's not possible... I was the only person that knew about this. _You_ in particular told me of how he would proceed to deal with the revolt."

Hiruzen glanced at the silver haired Shinobi out of the corner of his eye before nodding his head. "You are my most loyal Shinobi besides Jiraiya and even I didn't inform him of Danzo's plan."

"How and why does this involve Naruto?"

Hiruzen placed his hands behind his back before moving towards the giant window in the office. He stood still as he looked over the many buildings and people who were happily conversing with another. "I do not believe that Naruto is what he portrays himself to be."

"That doesn't really explain anything Hokage-sama... I'm well aware of the villages opinion towards him." Kakashi placed a hand into his pocket before gesturing with his other. "He's not exactly normal but do you truly believe he has some... I don't know... ability? To manipulate people that are on the level of Itachi? It sounds extremely far-fetched."

Hiruzen pursed his lips before slowly nodding. "I understand why this seems strange to you considering there is very little evidence besides odd behavior and coincidences... But what have I always said about coincidences Kakashi?"

The silver haired Shinobi acquiesced to that statement. Shinobi most certainly did not believe in coincidences. It might be the paranoia speaking but being paranoid was better than being dead and that's all that really mattered.

"Okay... So say I _do_ believe what you're saying... How does Neko fit in this? Yugao has been of the most loyal Shinobi to Konoha. Her record is as clean as mine. Why do you believe she's been compromised?" Hiruzen didn't answer the question and proceeded to just stare out into the village. After a minute of silence the man sighed before tilting his head down.

"Naruto knows her name."

**Break**

A smile formed on Naruto's face as he watched Ino tear into several of her presents with child like happiness. The 12 year old girl was surrounded by several random girls from their class as well as some of the other clan heirs and heiresses.

The boy's mismatched pupils glanced around the rather large backyard of Ino's home with a calculating gaze. All of the clan heirs and heiresses had shown up with the clan heads themselves making an appearance as well. A small smirk formed on his face as he spotted the small group of Uchiha's in the back corner of the party. Sasuke was seated with his mother and cousin who were watching the children.

Naruto began to make his way towards the group of Sharingan wielders with a small smile on his face. He didn't get within 5 feet of the raven haired members before being halted in place by their stares. Uchiha members were... dangerous.

Naruto's small smile disappeared as he stared at the group before placing his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry about what happened... It's sad that so many people died." The young Jinchuuriki studied the reactions of the three Uchihas in front of him with a keen gaze.

Sasuke's face contorted into a glare as his hands clenched together tightly. Naruto knew about the boy's hatred towards his brother. It wasn't entirely unfounded after all. Itachi did kill alot of people. It was justifiable in the end. But Naruto didn't care about Sasuke's reaction, he wanted to see how Mikoto and Shisui would react. These two were the dangerous ones.

The Matriarch of the Uchiha stared directly into Narutos violet orb with a blank expression. After several momenrs of silence the woman proceeded to rest her cheek on her fist. "The Uchiha do not need pity. Not from this village, its people and most certainly not from a child." The woman's eyes proceeded to close before she continued. "But that is not why you're here Naruto Uzumaki... Speak."

Naruto's violet orb glanced towards Shisui who was now ignoring the conversation in its entirety. A small smirk formed on his face as he stared directly at the woman. "Itachi was a nice man... Or so I heard." Naruto shrugged his shoulders uncaring of the hardened stares he was now receiving from Sasuke and Shisui. "Can't really tell these days. Some people just... _crack_ at the slightest signs of pressure." Naruto's statement caused a particularly loud outburst to erupt from his classmate.

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTH-!"

Sasuke was immediately silenced by his cousin who appeared directly beside him with his hand covering his mouth and his arms restrained to his sides. Mikoto didn't react to her son's outburst and continued to stare at Naruto even as several attendees began to overlook the interaction.

"What is your goal?"

Naruto smiled innocently at Mikoto's statement and began to tinker with his mask. "Goal? I don't know what you mean pretty lady. I can't see into the future like you can." His smile grew in size as Mikoto finally reacted to his words. The woman sported a heavy frown before glancing towards her nephew and gesturing with her hand.

"We're leaving." The woman proceeded to stand from her seat while placing her hand on her son's shoulder and disappearing without another word. Naruto glanced at the last Uchiha who's gaze bore directly into his own for several moments. After an entire minute of silence the teen disappeared in a shunshin.

Naruto smirked before turning towards Ino who was inspecting one of her gifts with curiosity. A small black box with a red bow that had no marker to indicate who brought the gift. Before she could voice her question Naruto appeared beside her with a small smile.

"Hope you like it Ino-chan! I got it for you."

The girl jumped slightly before puffing her cheeks out in annoyance. "Stop doing that!" Naruto grinned in response before placing his arm over her shoulder and pulling her into a one armed hug.

"Mhm... Let me think about it... No." He booped the girl's nose with his index finger before swiftly moving away to dodge the girl's retaliation. The young Yamanaka growled in embarrassment before huffing indignantly.

"You're lucky you're my best friend!" Naruto just responded with a small grin before gesturing towards the small box. The small group of girls and few boys sublty moved away from the blond boy who ignored their movements as he focused solely on Ino.

Ino began to unwrap the red bow before slowly opening the box. She slowly tilted her head with parted lips before reaching into the box and pulling out a mask that was very similar to the one that Naruto wore. The only difference being the size of the mask and the color of the designs on it. The porcelain material was the same shade as Narutos with the designs being a dark purple.

Ino glanced up towards Naruto who was smirking with his hand in his pocket. "You're always trying to wear my mask. I figured that you'd want one of your own." He shrugged while gently taking the mask from Ino's grasp and placing it near her face. "I bet you'll look cuter in it." He proceeded to wink as the girl began to blush before placing the object on the girl's face.

Similar to Naruto, the mask sagged slightly before being adjusted to only cover a portion of the blondes face. Ino was quiet for a scant few moments before a small grin appeared on her face. "I love it! Thank you so much Naruto-kun!" The girl flung herself towards her friend who had to brace himself so he wouldn't fall backwards. Naruto returned the girl's embrace before whispering in her ear.

Ino immediately pulled back with a blush as she began to slap her friends chest. "Don't say things like that!" Naruto just began to laugh before slowly leaning towards the girl and placing a kiss on her cheek. Ino's eyes widened in shock as Naruto cheekily smiled before walking away. The blonde Yamanaka didn't move from her spot even as her friends from class began to surround her and gush about the boy's action.

Saya softly smiled at the interaction before gathering the rest of the girl's presents and moving them into the house. She passed by several attendees before opening the door to her home and placing the assortment of gifts in the living room. Saya hummed to herself before turning around and blinking at the sight of Naruto who was leaning on the doors entrance.

"Naruto-kun? Is there something you need?" The woman watched as the boy's expression shifted into a small frown.

"I need to go. I'm sorry I won't be able to stay until the end."

"Is there something wrong? Maybe I can help."

Naruto glanced away for a second before placing his hands into his pockets. "No it's alright pretty lady. Tell Ino I had a nice time today." Saya watched as the boy passed by her before exiting the home without another word. She pursed her lips for a few moments before sighing and shaking her head.

Ino wasn't going to be happy now. Great. Just great.

**AN: You're all nerds. Got em. **

**I'm going to be pointing out some minor things in regards to Naruto and why his personality is so flip floppy. There's obviously a reason and it's probably not what you think it is. So if you don't want to know anything involving the future plot just ignore this AN and wait for another update and shit.**

**-Naruto's**** eyes being mismatched are for a reason, it's not a design choice.**

**-Naruto**** isn't who you think he is. He is Naruto Uzumaki but he's not _Naruto Uzumaki_.**

**-Naruto**** possesses a unique ability similar to Shisui's Kotoamatsukami.**

**-Naruto**** isn't a pyschopathic sociopath. He shows similar signs ****of being one or the other but he is truly neither of them. **


	4. Who is Naruto Uzumaki

**AN: S H A M E L E S S P L U G !**

**I made a new story. It's an Assassin's Creed Odyssey crossover with Naruto. It's called "Greek Shinobi" and features many elements from both worlds. Chakra, Isu bloodline abilities etc. So if it interests you in anyway then go check it out :D!**

**If it doesn't, then suck my dick.**

**The**** story continues!**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5Vp**

Disclaimer : Change - NF

Mismatched pupils stared at the bounty of children who were aimlessly running around the park playing games. The young blond shifted in his seated position atop the largest tree in the park. The 11 year old blond frowned as the children ran around the park, tagging one another in a silly little game.

What a miserable existence...

Had his mind truly been warped so much that just the thought of doing something so pointless as 'playing tag' filled him with disgust?

These children would never understand the burden he carried every single day.

They got to live on, carefree... Never worrying when they would be fed. Sleeping in a warm bed after a delicious home cooked meal from a mother who showered them in love...

The boy's hands clenched the bark of the tree trunk as small grooves began to form in the wood. His dual colored pupils becoming darker as his mood soured.

They never needed to worry about _anything_...

Always running around with those _disgusting_ smiles adorned on their faces.

The wood that Naruto held began to creak quietly before eventually just snapping in half, showering him with fragments of wood and dust. He paid it no mind.

This world...

It would know pain.

It would understand suffering.

It would...

"Naruto-kuuuuuuuuuun~!"

The voice of his best friend caused his previously sour mood to swivel on a dime. His aggravated visage shifting drastically as a small smile formed on his face. His violet orb glanced downwards as he spotted the Yamanaka bouncing on her heels. She looked like an excited puppy as her hair bounced from her erratic movements.

How was she always able to find him?

It was incredibly strange to him. He could have chosen any location in the village to sit and stew in his anger and the girl would _still_ somehow find him. It's like the girl was aware of his presence at all times.

As if they were connected somehow.

Destiny perhaps?

The young blond mentally shook his head at the thought. Pondering the meaningless existence of Fate and Destiny would do him no good.

If Gods like Fate and Destiny did truly exist, then why does the world suffer so much? Why do children suffer in silence at the hands of their parents? Why do men and women needlessly throw their lives away?

"Naruto! We're gonna be late! Mommy and Daddy are showing up to the evaluation!"

The Jinchuuriki sighed lowly to himself as Ino's words shook him from his thoughts. The mid year evaluation... That was today wasn't it? Why did they have to do it anyway?

None of the civilian children could even hold a candle to the clan children. It was a waste of time. The Academy hasn't even started proper training for the usage of Chakra in combat. These civilian children would get absolutely demolished.

Naruto scoffed in annoyance before jumping off the tree. He landed without a sound as Ino's face immediately filled his vision.

"C'mon~! We're gonna be laaaaaaaaaate!" The girl grasped his right hand with her left and instantly took off in a full sprint. The girl's platinum blonde hair trailing behind her as several strands whipped out towards his face.

The blond rolled his eyes with a smile as she began to declare how she would crush everybody else. It was definitely cute. She'd most certainly crush the civilian children with boths hands behind her back but she'd struggle against some of the stronger Clan Children. Namely himself and Sasuke.

"We don't need to run Ino-chan."

"Yes we do!"

Naruto resigned himself to the torture his best friend was putting him through. Running to the Academy just meant that he'd reach it sooner. He didn't enjoy the classes, the teachers, and disliked nearly every other child in the room.

Sure, he never really _went_, but that didn't change the fact that he received the memories of his clones when they went. The other students were loud and possessed the intelligence of a rock. Just the thought of being surrounded by them annoyed him.

The two children continued their pace for another five minutes before reaching the Academy. Naruto could make out a rather large group of Shinobi that were standing near the area where the students would usually spar with another. He could make out most of the clan heirs and heiresses parents within the crowd.

A small smirk formed on his face as he and Ino reached the practice grounds. His mismatched pupils glanced around the area as he spotted several children from his class standing with their parents.

Would he truly try with this evaluation?

He could...

But that'd be too easy and he didn't necessarily care for the 'bragging rights' of being Rookie of the Year. It was a useless title and proved very little.

On the other hand...

Naruto shook his head at the thought. There was no positive in this. It was a waste of time. He didn't care for anyones opinion but his own... and Ino's. It didn't help that he didn't want to be a Shinobi in the first place.

Well, that's not _technically_ true.

Naruto did want to be a Shinobi, just not a _Konoha_ Shinobi. He hated this village and mostly everyone in it. Why would he _ever_ want to protect these people? They'd sooner throw him to their enemies if it meant they'd survive.

He would make sure that they suffered.

He'd make them all suffer.

A small smile formed on the boy's face as Ino dragged him towards her parents. His violet orb analyzing both of them. They were genuinely kind people... He had never actually expected anyone in this village to do anything for him. They had allowed him to spend days -weeks even- at their home. They put food in his stomach and treated him like a _human_.

He didn't wish to hurt these ones.

They'd be safe.

His darker emotions must have been radiating because Saya immediately gazed at him in concern.

"Is everything all right, Naruto-kun?"

Saya truly was a saint of a woman. If there were more people like her in this world then maybe he would have been a more optimistic individual.

But of course, one good person does not make up for the thousands of sins that others commit every single day.

His quest would continue.

It had too...

_Naruto Uzumaki_ was someone who would shape the future of the world.

_He'd_ be its savior or _he'd_ be its end.

"I'm ok, pretty lady. I just want to go home." He refused to look in her eyes. They'd be full of compassion and he didn't need to be filled with guilt for his future decisions.

She was the mother _he_ never had.

His body tensed up as the woman's hand raked through his spikey locks. His resolve wavered for all but a second but he refused to speak or acknowledge the woman's gentle touch.

**_"Stay... away..."_**

Naruto closed his eyes as his face contorted into a visage of frustration.

_That_ voice.

It was always invading his thoughts. Never resting. Never leaving.

Speaking.

Yelling.

Even now, it was like a whirlwind of anger and rage swirling in his head. The screams of agony and despair were like nails on a chalkboard. That hateful cloud of anger wrapping around his soul and twisting his very person.

He couldn't escape.

The voice was screaming now.

Loud.

Loud.

Loud!

**Loud!**

**Louder!**

**LOUDER!**

"SHUT UP!"

Naruto's hands gripped his head as he doubled over in pain. He released a grunt of pain as he fell to his knees while clenching his eyes shut. He clawed at the sides of his skull as he tried to alleviate the pain from within his mind.

A burst of Chakra exploded out from his position as he began to scream into the sky. A hateful miasma began to pulse out from the boy as his body became encased in a shroud of crimson Chakra.

The crowd of Shinobi and children immediately began to scatter away from the Jinchuuriki who continued to scream in anguish. Before Ino could rush to her friend, she was held in place by one of the many Academy teachers within the area.

"Saya! Hold him still! I'm going to force him to sleep!" Inoichi was at the boy's side without another word as Saya tried to prevent the boy from thrashing around on the ground. Her knees dug into the soil as the boy's legs shot out at her. She grit her teeth as the red Chakra emanating from his body began to burn her.

"Naruto! Calm down! Stop... Stop moving! We're trying to help you!" The woman grunted in pain as she struggled to hold the boy down while Inoichi began to run through several handseals. His hands became encased in green Chakra as he immediately placed his palm on the boy's forehead.

The effect was almost instantaneous as the boy's body went completely slack. His eyes rolled into the back of his head before shutting. Saya grimaced as she glanced down at some of the scratches on her arm. A bit of blood dripped down her forearms as she released a sigh of relief.

Ino broke free from her restraint as she slid in the dirt next to her friend. She grasped the boy's hand in hers as her eyes became misty. "Mommy... Is he going to be ok?"

Saya glanced at her husband as several Jonin began to direct the parents and children out of the area. She spotted several ANBU members touching down around them as Inoichi sighed to himself.

"I... I don't know sweetie..." The woman began to gently clean the blood off of her arms as she reached for the boy's mask. "Naruto is a special case in the village..."

The young Yamanaka didn't respond to the statement as she ran her thumb over the boy's hand. A tear slid down her face as she gripped his hand tightly.

**Break**

Naruto's eyes snapped open as he inhaled sharply. His body snapping upwards in response to awakening so suddenly. He could feel his heartbeat running a mile a second as he tried to calm his breathing. His mismatched orbs snapping to and fro as he tried to locate any sources of danger.

Several minutes passed in silence as he began to calm his rapidly beating heart. He was able to finally analyze his surroundings and once he did...

"Where... am I?"

Naruto glanced around his surroundings in muted shock as he tried to understand exactly what was happening.

Was he floating? Were those _clouds_?

He blinked several times as his hands touched the 'ground.' A small frown appeared on his face as his hands met resistance. He glanced around the area before spotting his mask resting several meters in front of him. The blond child rose to his feet as he slowly strode forward to retrieve his mask.

The closer he got to his mask the darker his surroundings became. The clouds around him were now pulsating as if they were alive. The blond marched on as the clouds began to rumble loudly. The sound of thunder booming almost made him jump as lightning began to crash down around him.

Naruto stopped in his quest as he slowly tilted his head towards the 'sky'. A single raindrop landed on his cheek before several more crashes of thunder rang out.

Two drops. Three. Four.

The rain began to fall faster as another strike of lightning touched down. His body becoming drenched as he glanced back at his mask.

This feeling...

It was... sad.

A frown formed on the Jinchuuriki's face as he began to truly get a feel for his surroundings. So many depressing emotions were bombarding him as he wiped his face clean from the liquid assaulting him.

Sadness.

Anguish.

Regret.

Naruto powered through the onslaught of negative emotions as he continued to make his way towards his mask. Once reaching the object he tilted his head in confusion as he noticed how damaged the object was.

His mask had never been like this...

He studied the object and noticed several things about it that made him frown. The left eyehole sported several cracks around it with one of the ears missing. The bottom half of the mask was completely missing with several jagged shards pointing downwards almost as if it had been blown off. The mask was covered in dirt and sported several red stains. Looking closer he identified the stains as blood.

A large frown formed on his face as he slowly reached for the object. Once his fingers wrapped around the object a large flash of bright light surrounded him. He immediately shut his eyes with a yelp as he braced his body for danger.

Naruto rubbed his eyes to alleviate his momentary blindness before the smell of smoke entered his nostrils. The boy opened his eyes and was once again shocked into silence.

It was... devastation.

What was once no doubt a village, was now a smouldering crater full of ash and death. Several structures were charred and destroyed, leaving only remnants of what was once a neighborhood. He glanced around the area and spotted several buildings and landmarks that were torn asunder. The fires still raging despite the sheer amount of ash raining from the sky.

The Jinchuuriki glanced around his surroundings as a small flash of movement caught his attention. He strained his vision as he spotted what appeared to be a figure standing atop a mountain.

A mountain that looked _very_ familiar...

A small frown formed on his face before he immediately ran towards the mountain. He weaved in and out of the debris of several buildings as he spotted several bodies laying motionlessly. The stench of death and burning flesh assaulted his nostrils as he cringed lightly.

Dozens upon dozens of dead bodies lay on the ground. All sporting a _very_ familiar insignia as well.

Naruto ran for several minutes before reaching what he assumed to be the Hokage Monument. His mismatched pupils landed on the cloaked individual he spotted minutes earlier as he slowed to a stop. He glanced down at the broken mask within his hand before frowning.

The individual wore a black cloak with a hood that concealed his upper body. He wore ebony pants and sported a pair of black boots to match. The person wore a pair of fingerless black gloves that ended at the elbow. Red tape was wrapped around the persons boots and gloves. The man? gave off a feeling of despair and anger as Naruto began to slowly move forward.

Why did this seem so familiar to him? Was this one of those dreams he had of toppling Konoha?

But it felt... real. Too real.

Naruto got within 10 feet of the man before he was finally acknowledged. The hooded figure rotated his head, if only slightly, behind him. Naruto was unable to make out any distinctive features but the feelings of despair only seemed to get worse.

No... that wasn't quite right. Naruto felt more sadness than anything. Like a feeling of permanent defeat wafting over him and tugging him down. As if all hope was lost and life had lost its meaning.

_That's_ what he truly felt from this man.

**"Miserable isn't it?" **The voice shook him to his core.

This...

It wasn't possible!

It couldn't be!

"Yo-you... It's you!"

Naruto stood ramrod straight as the figure slowly lowered the hood covering their head. A mane of spikey, _black_ hair was released from its confines as the man began to slowly turn around. Naruto took a step back in shock at the man who was staring back at him.

It was... _him_.

The man he'd see in his dreams! He was the voice?!

A face, not unlike his own, stared back at him with apathy. Three jagged whisker marks adorned on his face with a set of mismatched orbs. One violet and one blue. The only thing he was lacking was blond hair and a... mask.

Naruto glanced down at the destroyed mask in his hands before staring back at his... self?

"I-I... Don't understand. Who are you? Who am I?! What is this?!"

The man ignored the questions before slowly turning around and staring at out at the destroyed village of Konoha. His arms crossed against his chest before speaking.

**"You are Naruto Uzumaki."**

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before gesturing with his hands in frustration. "That doesn't make any sense! Why do I have dreams about _you_ then?! Why are _you_ always speaking?! Answer me!"

The older doppelganger was silent for several moments before gesturing with his head. Naruto stared at the man for several moments before slowly and cautiously making his way towards the man.

The sheer sadness radiating off the man was palpable. The younger blond could barely even stomach it. Naruto stepped beside the taller man as he stared up at the man in frustration.

Here was the man who had influenced all of his darker emotions. The man who would whisper incessantly to him. Day in and day out. Filling his soul with the anger of a thousand men...

Why wasn't he talking?

"Speak. Now."

Naruto swore he saw a ghost of a smirk appear on the man's visage. It disappeared just as quickly as it appeared and it made Naruto question whether or not it actually happened.

**"You asked who you are. I told you. You are Naruto Uzumaki."**

Naruto sighed in annoyance before staring out at the destroyed village. Mimicking the man, he crossed his arms against his chest before sighing lowly. He needed to calm down... Frustration would get him no where. If this person was him then he needed to approach this situation differently.

"Am I _truly_ Naruto Uzumaki? I do not _feel_ like him. If I didn't know better I'd say you were Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto was able to catch the smirk that formed on the man's face. It didn't disappear this time and remained.

**"You are learning." **

"_I_ play the games. I do not _get_ played." He shot back instantly. The smirk on the man's face only grew at the words being spoken. Naruto narrowed his eyes before glancing at the mask in his hand. He was silent for several seconds before tossing it towards the man who caught it without looking before placing it against his face. "What's your actual name?"

**"_Now_ you're asking the correct questions."**

His tone was one of amusement but Naruto ignored the bait. He wanted answers and he was going to get them.

**"I am Naruto Uzumaki."**

Naruto's violet orb glowed with anger as he snarled. "You lie just like I do. Stop playing games." The black haired man smiled beneath his mask before replying.

**"But I _am_ Naruto Uzumaki. I'm just not You."**

Mismatched orbs narrowed to slits as the blond child stared at the ashes of Konoha. He wasn't going to get anything straight forward. Was this how others felt when speaking to him?

It was annoying.

"This is a waste of time. You have thousands of things to say everyday but when in person, you remain silent. Send me back home. You can play your games _alone_."

That seemed to cause a reaction as the man glanced towards his younger counterpart. His mismatched pupils bore into the blond as both males stared directly at one another.

**"I am you but I'm not _you_. You do not believe in the Gods but I do. Your anger is _my_ anger. Your eyes are _my_ eyes. My anguish is your hatred. We are one in the same. Different lives but similar circumstances."**

The words only served to confuse Naruto even more. What did _any_ of that even mean?

**"I was not born as Naruto Uzumaki, but I am indeed him. You do not understand but you will one day." **

The ebony haired man glanced down the mountain as the world around them blurred. Naruto felt his body turn upside down before the world becane clear again. The feeling of anguish now assaulting his very core. Tears began to fall and he was powerless to stop them.

**"_We_ carry the same burden. _We_ all do." **

The man gestured with his hand as he directed Naruto's attention towards the large cage that sat in front of them.

Naruto wiped his face clean as he stared into the pitch black darkness of the Kyuubi's cell. He was quiet for several moments as he stared into the water that pooled around his ankles.

"A demon is what they call me. They say that I will bring ruin to Konoha... and that I'm a monster."

**"They say that to _all_ of _us_." **

The world around them blurred once more as the feeling of sadness grew even stronger. The area surrounding the duo was not unlike the first one with the remains of a destroyed Konoha being presented. The only difference being the incredibly large crowd of Shinobi and villagers cheering and singing.

The feeling of despair and sadness contrasting heavily with the scene in front of them. The younger blond tilted his head in confusion as he stared at another version of himself. This Naruto was being held up by the very villagers who had damned him.

Cheering his name and singing praises as they cried in happiness. A familiar Yamanaka stared at the boy with a loving smile as she darted through the crowd towards the blond hero with mismatched pupils. Once she reached the blond teen she pulled him into a loving embrace before mashing their lips together.

"Wh-what is this?" The younger blond stared at the scene in front of him with confusion.

**"_We_ all walk different paths. What you're seeing is another _you_. One who did not succumb to his hatred and instead gained power from the love and support of his friends."**

The younger blond frowned at the scene as he removed his mask from his face. He held the porcelain material in his hands as a small frown formed on his face. "You... succumbed to your hatred?"

The older Naruto frowned before glancing down at his hands. He was silent for several moments before the scene around them blurred once more.

**"No... I succumbed to my grief..."**

The younger blond stared at the scene in front of him with a heavy frown. What he was seeing made his anger skyrocket.

The two _Narutos_ stared at the scene in front of them as a version of Ino was splayed out in the dirt with blood pooling from her body. She had several broken bones with deep lacerations covering her entire body showing the telltale signs of having been tortured. Her teal eyes were staring blankly into the sky as rain pelted her mutilated body.

The two _Narutos_ heard an enraged scream as they spotted a black haired Naruto who was being restrained by several dozen Konoha Shinobi.

"Naruto! Stop! You risk war with Kumo!"

"They will slaughter us!"

"She died a Shinobi's death!"

The black haired Naruto broke free from his restraints before killing his fellow Shinobi in a blind rage. The man continued his merciless onslaught as anything in his path was destroyed and rendered to ashes.

The scene around them changed once again as they were now overlooking a conversation between the Kages of Suna, Konoha, Iwa, and Kiri. The black haired Naruto appeared in the room before declaring war on the 4 Major Villages and killing Kirigakure's Kage.

**"Ino's death was the breaking point. She was a pacifist in my world... A gentle soul who could never truly harm another. She became a Shinobi because she wanted to help others. She used to say 'Those with power should use it to better the world. To make it safe for the next generation of children.'**

**"My Ino wasn't a true Shinobi... Gentle and soft spoken. She was captured by a Kumo squad while on a simple escort mission. They tortured her until she couldn't take anymore... They butchered her before sending her dead body back to Konoha.**

**"I killed every single person in that village. Hunted them down to even the last _child_. None were spared from my wrath. After killing each and every one of Kumo's residents, I turned my anger on the world. I became a monster."**

The younger blond stared at the ground as he listened to his counterpart relive that very moment in his life. "What did you do afterwards?"

The scene blurred once again before settling back on the destroyed Konoha. The black haired Naruto had Ino's corpse in his arms as he screamed into the sky. For several minutes he screamed before taking a Kunai and slitting his own throat.

**"I killed myself. So blinded by my grief and anger that I failed to realize that what I truly wanted was to be with my Sunflower again. I toppled the 5 Hidden Villages by myself and in my final moments was where I realized that vengeance was empty. The only woman to ever love me unconditionally was taken from me... So I did the same to everyone else."**

The world around them blurred once again before settling on a pitch black room that lacked any form of light. The younger blond glanced around his surroundings before frowning and speaking. "I want to hear your reason..."

The older Naruto glanced down at his counterpart before placing his mask against his face and crossing his arms. His body began to slowly deteriorate before he began to speak.

**"To give you a perspective on who exactly _Naruto Uzumaki_ is and potentially can be. What you saw today was two sides of the same coin. _Naruto Uzumaki_ can be a savior or he can be a destroyer."**

"You believe I will succumb to my hatred?" The older Naruto scoffed before replying.

**"You already have. My words and dreams to you were warnings. I tried to sway your beliefs. This path will not bring you happiness. Your subconscious plays tricks on you. I'm stuck with you and I _refuse_ to do this same song and dance."**

After saying his peace the older Naruto dissipated from the room as the younger blond stared at his mask. His visage shifted through several emotions before settling on frustration. He dropped to his knees as his fists clenched tightly. He immediately struck the ground with his fist as he screamed out in frustration.

"Dammit!"

**AN: OHOHOHOHOHO! Y'all really thought this story was going to be cut and dry. But y'all should know I don't do normal in my stories.**

**This**** isn't the last we have seen of the black haired Naruto. He will be back. There are still _many_ questions that have yet to be answered. If you have any questions just PM me or Review and I'll answer your questions!**

**REVIEW MY SHIT YOU PIGS!**


	5. When Will You Change?

**AN: Months without an update? Check. The most interesting concept of all my stories? Check.**

**Sup**** fuck faces! Been focusing on Age Is But A Number for the past 2 months because I've just been enjoying my time with it. But we're back!**

**So enjoy! Or don't! I don't give a shit if you do or not. I just write the shit.**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5Vp**

Disclaimer : NF - Options

Mismatched pupils blankly stared at the pristine white sheets that covered his lower body. The rhythmic beeping sounds of the heart monitor next to his hospital bed was the only sound emanating inside the dark room.

The boy's hands would occasionally fist and claw at the soft fabric covering his legs. The sunlight bursting through the slightly ajar windows of the room was the only source of light in the entire room besides the small LED screen of the machine that was hooked up to the boy's arm.

The boy's face and upper torso was cascaded in darkness with a slight glow emitting from his violet pupil. His jaw was clenched shut and he would occasionally grind his teeth together when a wave of anger passed through him.

The boy's nose twitched several times but he did not move. He acknowledged the presence of another individual in the room but he didn't care. His anger was at the forefront of his mind and there was little that could stifle it.

Several minutes passed by in silence before Naruto's eyes slowly roamed to the individual that was kneeling beside his bed.

Long black hair pulled back into a pony tail greeted him before his eyes strayed to the unique cloak that the man was wearing. It had a high collar with red clouds designing it.

_Akatsuki__..._

"Itachi... What do you want?" The young child's tone was one of anger.

The Grim Reaper of Konoha slowly raised his head and stared into the eyes of his charge. His headband possessed a clean slash through the insignia adorned upon the metal. The teen's crimson gaze bore into the child's face with apathy before he spoke quietly.

"I've come with... interesting details about the group." At the child's blank visage the Uchiha continued speaking, well aware of the boy's ire. "There is a hierarchy in the group... A power struggle between two of the leaders."

Despite the residual anger coursing through his core Naruto narrowed his eyes in silence. His mismatched pupils glanced towards the curtains of the room and idly noticed that Neko was sitting on the window sill, watching the interaction quietly.

"A hierarchy? A group of S-Rank Rogue Nin with an established power ranking system..." Naruto was silent for several seconds before glancing back at the Uchiha. "Ideals must be clashing."

Itachi nodded his head before speaking. "There is a member from each of the Major Villages... Orochimaru is also a part of the organization." Itachi noted that the young blond did not react to the revelation. "The two leaders... are dangerous."

_That_ drew the boy's attention and his narrowed gaze now shown with genuine curiosity. Shinobi that actually made Itachi cautious? That was interesting in itself..

"Hoh... Now it is getting interesting... Who could make The Grim Reaper of Konoha mind his step?"

The teen's Sharingan slowly spun before he responded. "A man who possesses the Rinnegan... He is the most dangerous of the group. The other member is a man who claims to be Madara Uchiha."

Naruto released a scoff as his gaze strayed towards Neko. "Madara Uchiha? I did not think you were capable of making jokes Itachi."

The Uchiha did not physically react to the boy's statement as he responded. "It is who he claims to be... That does not mean that I believe him. The man's power does not concern me nor am I intimidated by him. It is his Mangekyou Sharingan ability that gives me pause."

Naruto stared at Yugao for several more seconds before turning back towards the teen. "Your observations?"

"He is able to teleport at will and seems to have zero side effects when using the ability. He likely possesses the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan due to this but I have no confirmation... He keeps a hefty distance from every member in the organization and the closest I have been able to get to him was a distance of 5 feet... If he was truly Madara Uchiha then he would have no reason to show fear of me. He hides it well behind that mask of his but I can sense it."

Naruto noted that the teen's tone held a bit of frustration when explaining the man's abilities. It was to be expected. He prided himself on his ability to deduct and break down abilities with just a single glance.

"Madara Uchiha... wearing a mask? Surely this man is not so foolish as to think that _the_ Madara Uchiha would _willingly_ wear a mask?"

Had Itachi been a lesser man he would have scoffed at the question. "It is precisely this reason that he does not intimidate me. Should I learn more about his ability then I am confident I can deal with him. It will take time though... Something we don't have."

The blond child stared at the teen questioningly.

"The Rinnegan user is growing impatient and it is likely because of ideals clashing with one another. Every individual in the organization has their own agenda. As powerful as every member is it is impossible to truly control individuals who don't believe in the group's goals. Most of the members only stay because both parties benefit from the exchange."

Itachi's eyes strayed towards the door of the room before returning to the Jinchuuriki. "It seems our time is coming to an end."

Naruto closed his eyes for a second before speaking. "Danzo is going to be a problem. You and Neko will have to deal with him."

Itachi slowly nodded his head at the statement as the boy continued speaking.

"Danzo will try to deal with Yugao discreetly... You will stop this from happening. I do not care _how_ it is handled but I expect it to _be_ handled. Hiruzen has likely come to the same conclusion about her. It is only a matter of time before one of them acts."

Itachi nodded once more before bowing his head and preparing to leave. Before he could disappear his charge spoke once more.

"You have your father's eyes."

Itachi slowly nodded his head but did not speak.

"How is Tsunade doing?" The boy's tone was one of amusement and Itachi feigned ignorance. A small smirk blossomed on the boy's face but he did not push further. "Good bye Itachi... Your family misses you." The Uchiha's Sharingan slowly spun at the statement but he didn't respond as he disappeared in a flock of crows.

Naruto's smirk disappeared as a soft knocking resonated from the door. His mismatched pupils stares at the door for several seconds before the individual behind it slowly pushed it forward.

A small smile began to form on the blond's face as the person came in to view. A curtain of platinum blond hair swayed in the air as Ino entered through the door.

She had yet to actually take notice of the fact that he was awake and was most certainly watching her.

The young Yamanaka, as quietly as she could, edged around the door and shut it as silently as she could. The door shut with nary a sound before the girl sighed in quiet relief. Her long pony tail bounced erratically as she nodded her head before she swiveled on her heel with a large smile.

She was woefully unprepared and did not expect to come face to with the visage of her best friend nor was she ready to hear his boisterous greeting.

"Hellloooo~ my beautiful Sunflower!"

"AHHH!" Ino Yamanaka jumped quite literally 5 feet in the air as she screamed in surprise.

She did not land gracefully.

Her rear connected with the ground and she was keenly aware of the fact that Naruto was laughing at her misfortune.

Her pale face was instantly engulfed in a shade of ruby as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. It took several seconds longer than she would have liked but she was eventually successful in her endeavor.

Ino's face morphed into a cute pout as she stared up at her best friend. "NARUTO! Don't do that! You know I scare easily!" The girl's arms crossed against her chest as she glared up at the boy.

Naruto's laughter eventually ceased as he stared down at the girl. His smile began to soften and he slowly moved to sit beside the girl on the floor. His mismatched pupils glanced towards the window of the room noticing that Yugao had now disappeared.

Ino watched him with a curious gaze as the boy sat directly beside her, his arm brushing against hers. His silence was slightly surprising. She had expected him to give her some kind of witty retort like he usually did. Her teal orbs studied his face for several moments before a small frown appeared on her face.

He was smiling but he didn't look happy...

Ino had been around Naruto for a long enough time to know when he was truly happy or when he was faking it. And right now he was most certainly faking it.

Her mother had always told her that eyes were the window to the soul.

"Naruto-kun?" He glanced towards her with a curious gaze and noted the concerned visage she sported. "What's wrong?"

Naruto blinked at the question before offering a crooked smile. "I'm fi-" He was immediately interrupted by Ino who's visage hardened.

"No, you're not fine."

The blond Jinchuuriki glanced towards his friend in slight surprise before avoiding her gaze.

Too much concern.

Genuine concern.

For him...

He didn't deserve it. Not from her, her mother or her father. Not from anyone.

He was... an awful person.

The conversation with... himself? rang through his head as he contemplated the words the man had said.

_"Your subconscious__ plays tricks on you." _

Was that man not the reason these memories of another Naruto invaded his brain? Was he not the reason that these violent thoughts plagued his core?

He'd be normal if that man didn't exist...

_Lies. _

Naruto's teeth grinded together as he resisted the urge to claw at the tile on the floor. He'd never be normal. He had been setup for failure since his birth...

_"We carry the same burden. We all do_."

_"They say that to all of us." _

It was so easy to hate. So easy to succumb to primal instincts.

He was hurt by these people. It was only reasonable that he wanted to hurt them back. To hurt all of them. To step on their necks and watch the life drain from their eyes.

How could an individual who had gone through the same circumstances and struggles as he did turn out to be a _good_ person?

How?

HOW?!

It didn't make sense!

They expect you to just turn the other cheek!?

To _forgive_ them for wronging you?!

His suffering was unjustifiable! _He_ didn't cause the pain and death! _He _didn't attack this village! _He _didn't ask to be a scapegoat!

HE DIDN'T ASK TO CARRY THIS BURDEN!

Why could they not understand that?!

Why couldn't they SEE it?????!!!!

His vision was obscured by a curtain of blonde hair and the familiar scent of his Sunflower invaded his nostrils.

_His Sunflower__..._

He felt the girl's arms encircle around his body. His anger began to fade away at the gentle touch and he allowed himself to sink further into it.

...he missed this sensation.

Mismatched pupils fluttered several times as the visage of an older Ino filled his vision. He ignored how _wrong_ this image was in favor of succumbing to the woman's loving smile.

"What did I tell you, Naruto-kun?" Those teal eyes of her shone with such sincerity that he averted her gaze. "I'll _always_ be here. Hey, hey hey... Look at me... You know I hate it when you do that. Take that mask off. It gets in the way."

Gentle fingers danced under his chin and he felt the familiar weight of his mask slip off his face shortly after. He ignored the fact that he didn't own a single pair of black boots and instead focused his gaze on the woman who was stroking his cheek.

"Ahh~!" Her head tilted with an exaggerated motion and he felt the familiar tug of a smile forming on his face. "There it is! How many times do I have to tell you to smile more? It's beautiful."

This was wrong... Everything about it... It was... It wasn't...

"Neh, Naruto-kun! I was able to master the second step of my Iryo Ninjutsu training. Ohh! It's so exciting~!" The girl's fingers left his face as she clapped her hands with a beautiful smile. Her head danced side to side as she continued speaking. "I'll be able to help even more people! Ohh~! I'm definitely going to prove my worth."

He felt his eyes water and he was helpless to stop it.

Stop...

Please...

"Aren't you proud of me, Naruto-kun~?"

Despite the agony that was running rampant through his chest and the tears that were pouring down his face, he still nodded his head at the girl's question. The girl's arms wrapped around him as she squeezed his body tightly while laughing happily.

"I love you, Naruto-kun~!"

His heart lurched at the statement and he squeezed his eyes tightly, desperately trying to halt the tears that were flowing.

Why?

Why?

Stop... Please... Stop it...

"Remember when you told me that you'd change?"

Naruto blinked in confusion at the girl's statement before he met her gaze. She now lacked any emotion on her face and her teal orbs were now a shade darker as she peered directly into his mismatched pupils.

"I remember Naruto. I remember everything."

He felt trepidation build in his chest as Ino's face closed the distance between them. He couldn't move... He couldn't breathe.

What was happening?

The girl's nose touched his own and her emotionless orbs peered into his very soul.

"When are you going to change? You promised me that you'd change... I thought you loved me. Did you lie to me Naruto?"

Lie? No! Never!

He'd never lie to-

"Then why haven't you changed? You're still the same. Do you make empty promises just to keep me happy?"

Ino's face retreated away from his and she... changed. Her body, her face, her...

Everything changed.

Her body was covered in lacerations and she sported a disgusting broken neck. Blood dribbled down the side of her lip and her hair was caked in blood and mud. Her purple outfit was torn in several places and she was covered in dried blood.

"You need to change Naruto." Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard and it pierced his very core. "When will you change?"

Her voice rose an octave higher and her face contorted angrily. "When will you change!?"

Another octave rose accompanied by the feeling of hate.

"When will you change?!"

And another octave accompanied with rage.

"**WHEN WILL YOU CHANGE?!**"

Naruto jumped away from the touch of his friend as if he had been burn. He noticed the confused/concerned expression on the younger girl's face and he quickly scurried away from her until his back slammed against the hospital wall.

His vision swayed briefly and he was now aware of how heavy his breathing was. The terrifying image of the older Ino melting away as the girl stared at him in slight shock from her seated position.

Naruto grimaced to himself before shifting his position and placing his hands on the floor. He retched several times before eventually vomiting on the floor.

Ino was by his side in an instant and completely ignored the bile on the floor in favor of helping her friend. She was rubbing his back while whispering softly into his ear.

Another wave of nausea crashed into Naruto and he puked once more. He groaned several times after emptying his stomach and had to close his eyes due to the vertigo he was experiencing. The blond Jinchuuriki shook his head several times before he felt Ino gently lift his head.

Her teal orbs met his for a single second before she began to gently wipe his mouth with a spare rag she found near his hospital bed stand. She didn't grimace or cringe away from the heavy stench of the vomit nor did she shy away from cleaning it off him either.

Naruto allowed the girl to do as she pleased as a wave of shame passed through him. He shut his eyes tightly as the girl meticulously wiped the dried vomit off his shirt.

"I... I'm sorry..."

Her teal orbs glanced upwards before she went back to her task. A small smile formed on her face as she continued her actions. "You don't need to apologise Naruto."

He didn't respond to her words and remained silent. For several minutes the girl would wipe away the vomit and bile from his shirt and did so with a small smile on her face.

Naruto watched her the entire time as the picture of the dead Ino popped into his head.

_"When will you change?!" _

He cringed lightly as the words hammered into his skull. He closed his eyes as he tried to calm his beating heart.

_**"WHEN**** WILL YOU CHANGE?!"**_

Her question would continue to haunt him. Ever present and never leaving. Nicking at his brain and picking at his skull. Her terrifying visage was scarred into his memory and he had trouble sleeping.

Her ghastly image would appear before him and just watch him with that dead stare. She'd just ask the same question.

Over and over and over and over again.

Those once beautiful teal orbs were now the source of nightmares. Her voice, that used to soothe him and calm him down was now like a nail being driven through his ear.

It would be an entire week before he could get a decent night of sleep. Haunted by the visage of the girl who he...

**Break**

Ino sighed quietly to herself as she made her way home after a boring day at the Academy. It would have been alot better had Naruto actually shown up. He hadn't been to the Academy since that day she had visited him in the hospital.

Naruto had already been given access to go home and she had tried multiple times to find him at his home or the various places he would frequent. She got no where with both and it was only making her slightly depressed.

...

Very depressed.

Naruto was her best friend and she hated seeing him unhappy. Which was ironic because he was rarely happy unless he was with her. He hadn't been able to look her in the eyes after his panic attack in the hospital room.

He had looked at her like she was a completely different person. Like he didn't recognize who she was. And it only made her sadder.

Did she do something wrong? Why wouldn't he want to be near her? They were best friends!

UGH!

Boys were stupid and illogical. She wanted to help him! How could he not see that? How was she supposed to help him when he didn't let her? Her mother's words ringing in her head when she had brought up the subject a few days ago.

_"Oh dear... You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped."_

Ino thought that kind of thinking was foolish. If she was capable of helping people then she'd do it! That's just the kind of person she was.

Ino held strong beliefs about Shinobi and most of her clan mocked her beliefs and ideals. She believed it was a Shinobi's duty to help people who needed it.

She understood that it was... idealistic and incredibly different from how others viewed the world but she was entitled to her own opinions and beliefs.

Everyone was always so cynical in the Shinobi world... It's like they had given up on hope and faith and instead chose to be depressed and realistic.

Every person is born with a clean slate and it's their _choices_ that make them truly unique.

Why would you choose to be depressed when you could choose to be happy?

It was obviously easier said than done but... That's what optimism and hope are for!

Ino shook her head with a heavy sigh as she rounded the corner of her Clan Compound. Her gaze was focused on the ground as she made the trek towards her home and was pulled from her thoughts by a familiar voice.

"My Sunflower."

Her head snapped to the left and saw Naruto leaning on the door to her home. He had his signature mask on the side of his face, obscuring most of his features.

But his smile...

A warm feeling buzzed in her breast and she couldn't fight the large smile blossoming on her face. She quickly bounded up the stairs leading to her home and jumped towards her friend.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as he was forced to catch the girl who practically threw herself at him. His arms wrapped around the girl's lower back and he shifted his stance on the door to the home. He moved several steps further to counter the girl's sudden weight and he felt the girl's legs wrap around his waist.

The blond child blinked several times in confusion at her exaggerated reaction before just softly shaking his head. He began to lightly rub her back as the girl squeezed him tightly.

His mismatched pupils glanced towards some of the other Yamanaka members who were watching their interaction. A small frown tugged at his lips before he spoke quietly to the girl.

"Ino-chan... I uh. Let's go inside ok?"

The blonde responded with a childish groan before squeezing him tighter. "I don't wanna..."

Naruto sighed quietly before reaching into one of her pockets and fishing for the key to her home. He used his other hand to shift Ino's position and slowly turned towards her home before placing the key in the door and opening it.

He placed the key into his pocket and slowly maneuvered his way into the home. He pushed the door closed with his free hand while occasionally patting and rubbing Ino's back.

Needy girl...

The Jinchuuriki slowly made his way into the home while holding Ino.

_"When will you change?!" _

His mismatched pupils glanced towards the girl who was clutching him tightly. His eyes narrowed slightly and he returned the girl's embrace.

_"When will you change?!" _

Several minutes passed by in silence as both children clung unto one another.

_"WHEN WILL YOU CHANGE?!" _

Naruto heard soft footsteps nearing his and Ino's position and he glanced towards the entrance of the room and spotted Saya watching them quietly. He and the woman made eye contact with each other and just stared.

It was eventually broken by Saya who placed her index finger against her lip, signaling for him to be quiet.

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as the woman gave him a lopsided smile while disappearing around the corner she had come from.

"I'll make your favorite dish tonight! You will be joining us, won't you Naruto-kun?"

Saya's voice resounded through the home and Naruto pursed his lips before responding. "Of course, pretty lady."

He didn't receive an answer and glanced down at Ino who was still clinging onto him.

Needy, needy girl...

**Break**

Hiruzen stared quietly at the document in front of him and idly inhaled his tobacco pipe. His wizened eyes roaming over each and every line, scrutinizing each and every word.

Another inhale. Another line. Another inhale. Another line.

"You're putting me in an... uncomfortable position."

Inoichi stared directly into his leaders eyes before responding. "It is an interesting phrase to use."

The Sandaime knew what the man was getting at with that comment. His eyes returned to the document in front of him before he took another inhale from his pipe. "Indeed."

He flipped several pages of the lengthy document before inhaling once more. "Amnesty for Naruto? An... interesting choice."

Inoichi resisted the urge to frown at his leaders uninterested tone. The war veteran was speaking on an important asset to this village that has been showing increasing signs of mental instability... Surely the man would atleast invest more into this conversation.

Far too many things were at stake right now for him to be so lackadaisical about the entire situation.

"Naruto is not healthy."

Hiruzen tapped his left index finger on the aged wood of his desk before slowly closing his eyes. "For what reason should I grant amnesty to the Jinchuuriki of our village? Because he is not normal? He is a Jinchuuriki to the village. Is it not your job to provide these check-ups for one in his unique position? He is an _asset_ to Konoha and amnesty would disrupt the flow of power. Everyone is treated the same."

Inoichi was unable to hide the frown that formed on his face at the older man's words. Hiruzen was speaking about Naruto not as a person, but as a thing.

While one could certainly make the argument that all Shinobi were 'things' when it came to the Hidden Village they served under, an individuals mental health should be a top priority.

An unhealthy Shinobi was a dangerous one.

Naruto being a Jinchuuriki only added onto this. His mental state was... questionable at best and unstable at worse. Any seasoned Shinobi could see it.

It's not like it was a secret either.

Is the mental health of their Jinchuuriki _not_ important? Is it _not_ a cause for concern?

Who knows what could happen should Naruto truly snap like Itachi and Orochimaru had done. Itachi had killed most of his clan and Orochimaru...

Narutos status as a Jinchuuriki and the fact that he was exhibiting signs of following in their footsteps should be blatantly clear to a Shinobi with more than 50 years of experience!

"Naruto is not on the same pedestal as every Shinobi or civilian in this village."

Hiruzen sliced through the man's statement with practiced ease almost as if he had expected this very conversation to occur. "This _village_ comes first. Jinchuuriki or not, the betterment of Konoha and its people are my main concern. I cannot grant the boy amnesty as it would interfere with the village's personal needs and wants."

Inoichi's fingers clawed at the cloth of his pants before he slowly closed his eyes. The Yamanaka Clan Head slowly rose from his seat before taking the document off the Hokage's desk. Without waiting for a dismissal from his leader, the man walked out of the office. Not caring for any repercussions that would befall him for his lack of respect.

Hiruzen sighed quietly as he continued to inhale from his trusty pipe. Several minutes passed by in silence before he slowly swiveled his chair to face the large window behind him.

The older man glanced towards the portraits of the previous Kages and he studied them for several minutes noticing something wasn't quite right with them. It took several more seconds for him to realize that one of the portraits was missing.

The portrait of the man who would have been his successor.

**Break**

Inoichi sighed lowly to himself before unlocking the door to his home. His eyes glanced towards the document in his hand and he shook his head disappointingly.

Before he stepped inside the home the man burned the document with a little application of Katon Chakra. The parchment was instantly engulfed in flames and Inoichi watched the embers do their job for several long moments.

He stared at the ashes of the document before sighing quietly and opening the door to his home. The man slowly entered his home before placing his keys on the table stand near the door of his home.

The leader of the Yamanaka Clan slowly roamed through his home and heard the telltale signs of his loving wife and daughter conversing in the kitchen. There was several seconds of silence before laughter erupted from the two women followed by an annoyed grumble from a young male.

Inoichi tilted his curiously as he slowly stepped into the entrance of the kitchen, remaining as quiet as possible so as to not disturb the 3 individuals who were talking with one another.

A small smile appeared on his face as he spotted his wife ruffling a maskless Naruto's hair. Ino was beside the boy with a large smile as she desperately tried to stifle her giggles. The young Jinchuuriki had a small blush on his face as he tried to ignore the obvious teasing from both Yamanakas.

The boy eventually just accepted what was happening and released several joyous laughs as Saya gently caressed his cheek, like a mother would do for her son.

Inoichi continued to observe the scene with a hopeful smile as he blocked out the day's event.

Perhaps... things wouldn't be so bad...

**AN: This story makes me depressed whenever I write for it. Not because it's difficult to write for or anything of the sort but because of the concept. I genuinely enjoy writing for this story but I have to do it in small doses.**

**This**** story is _very_ introspective and I'm gonna say this before confusion erupts.**

**_Do_****_ not believe everything that happens from Naruto's POV._**

**Naruto isn't a stable person and this is very clear to see. Just keep that in mind. **


	6. One in the Same

**AN: Here's an update for what is possibly my most interesting story.**

**I'd come up with an excuse on why I didn't update this story but I really got nothing. Was just focusing on finishing Age Is But A Number and I did finally finish it, so if you have yet to read it then do so now. (:**

**But we're back lads.**

**Before I continue, I need to warn people that there is a scene in this chapter that references to rape. I want to be completely transparent and say this now - I do not condone or support this kind of writing.**

**I will never write a scene that involves around that subject because that is something that I'm just uncomfortable with. I will always dance around the subject but for this story, it is referenced and I just want to warn the readers. I will be pointing out the scene before it happens beforehand. **

**It may not be serious to alot of readers but it is one of the few things I do not enjoy writing about or even briefly mentioning. **

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : Eminem - Killshot

"If you had to describe how you are feeling at this very moment, how would you do so?"

Naruto's eyes slowly trailed towards the individual who asked him the question. He stared into the man's eyes for a brief moment before staring at the empty cup in front of him.

"That depends... Is everything being spoken in this room confidential?" The young boy questioned back towards his 'therapist'.

Inoichi briefly glanced up from his notepad before offering the boy a simple nod. "Everything that is said in this room is for _my_ ears only, Naruto. Even if Hiruzen wished to know I would not tell him."

A quiet hum resonated from Naruto's throat as he tinkered with the empty cup in front of him. He picked the object up before staring into it.

"I am content." He answered quietly.

The leader of the Yamanaka Clan nodded while scribbling in his notepad. He crossed one leg over the other before briefly glancing up at Naruto and staring into the boy's eyes.

"Describe Konoha to me, if you will."

Naruto did not tear his gaze away from the glass cup he held in his hands. "A cesspool of bigotry and hypocrisy." Naruto squeezed the cup in his hands causing it to crack in his grasp.

The young blond slowly raised his gaze towards Inoichi before ultimately crushing the object in his hand, uncaring of the glass that was now slicing into in his hand. Blood slowly trickled down the boy's hand and dripped onto the carpet below him.

Inoichi resisted the urge to frown at the action and quelled the knee jerk reaction that sprung from his chest. He watched as the boy reached for a napkin whilst continuing to maintain direct eye contact. The boy then proceeded to wipe his hand clean before tossing the napkin onto the table.

Inoichi pursed his lips before jotting the statement down in his notebook. "And how do you feel about Konoha?"

An eerie smile formed on Naruto's face as he replied almost instantaneously. "I hate it."

The older man scribbled the response in his notepad as he contemplated his next string of questions. He and Naruto had just started their first session and it seemed like the boy was willing to speak truthfully.

Perhaps he should change tactics...

Inoichi was well aware of Naruto's hate for Konoha since it was very easy to see. The boy didn't really bother hiding it but did not bring attention to it either.

"How would you describe me?" He proposed to the boy.

Naruto's head tilted curiously causing his mask to bounce lightly from the action. He was silent for a few moments before answering quietly.

"Patient. Kind. Understanding."

Inoichi said nothing and jotted the response down. "And how do you feel about me?" His light blue eyes found Naruto's mismatched orbs as both males stared at one another quietly. The Jinchuuriki's face gave nothing away as he stared at the older Yamanaka.

Naruto did not answer.

Inoichi nodded his head before asking another question. "How would you describe Saya Yamanaka?"

Once again, Naruto answered almost immediately. "Kind. Loving. Nurturing."

"How do you feel about Saya Yamanaka?" Inoichi questioned.

For the first time during this session did emotion finally swirl in the boy's eyes. The young blond glanced away from Inoichi and stared at the wall with a tilted head, his mask facing Inoichi due to its position.

"The mother I've always wanted..."

Inoichi's lips pursed as his eyes returned to his notepad. He stared at the parchment for several moments as he took in the boy's response.

Perhaps it was the confidentiality that had Naruto saying these things. The boy never spoke about his feelings regardless of how mundane the topic or subject was. He was a reserved individual through and through.

To know that Saya was something he had wanted for all his life... It both stung and tugged at Inoichi's heart.

The leader of the Yamanaka Clan flipped a page in his notepad and scribbled onto it before returning to his previous page.

"How would you describe Ino Yamanaka?"

A genuine smile blossomed on the boy's face as he answered. "My Sunflower."

Inoichi narrowed his eyes silently as he wrote the response down. "How do you feel about Ino Yamanaka?"

Naruto did not answer the man's question but he held his genuine smile.

**Break**

Life was so... annoying.

Naruto stood with his hands in his pockets as he watched his classmates spar with one another. His mask clung to his skull obscuring his face, hiding the aggravated visage adorned upon his face.

_People_ were so annoying...

The facades. The fake smiles. The acting...

It made him sick to his stomach. Anger and rage twisted in his chest as he resisted the urge to snarl.

Adhere to the world's outlook...

Do good, but only when it aligns with your superiors' views...

Strive to be a 'good' person...

Naruto's fingers cracked loudly as Sasuke knocked his opponent out of the ring. The child rolled several feet before coming to a stop at his own feet.

The blond teen slowly tilted his head down to stare at the boy who had been defeated before scoffing quietly and shaking his head.

Naruto was tired.

Tired of being angry. Tired of being quiet. Tired of being _tired_...

"Point to Sasuke Uchiha." Iruka's voice called out. "Are there any others who'd like to give it a shot?" The man's gaze roamed across the field for a brief moment before landing on Ino who was raising her hand with a small smile.

An action that Naruto was keenly aware of.

An action that made Iruka incredibly uncomfortable... He felt an ice cold chill run down his back as Naruto's head tilted. The Chunin closed his eyes for a brief moment to collect himself before opening them to discover that Naruto was now standing in the ring, directly opposite of Sasuke.

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes while slowly settling into a stance. "Let your girlfriend fight her own battles." His ebony eyes briefly trailed towards Ino who was staring at Naruto's back with a curious gaze.

Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto appeared directly in front of him. Time crawled to a stand still as the boy's mismatched pupils bore into him. His Sharingan activated on pure instinct as he parried the blond's right hook.

Sasuke's left hand coiled around Naruto's right wrist before pushing it outwards to open his guard up. The single tomoe in Sasuke's Sharingan spun as Naruto bashed his head against Sasuke's forehead.

A loud cracking noise resounded through the area followed by a grunt of pain. Sasuke's eyes snapped shut on instinct and he was unable to defend himself from Naruto's vicious haymaker.

The ebony haired teen tasted copper as Naruto's left fist made direct contact with his right cheek. His head snapped to the left and before Sasuke could retreat, his upper torso was folded over from the fist that was embedded in his abdomen.

A string of saliva ejected from Sasuke's face as his eyes widened in pain from the sheer force of Naruto's punch.

"_I know something you don't..._" A whisper full of venom invaded Sasuke's hearing as the boy struggled to get his bearings. His vision swirled for a brief moment as he failed to comprehend the fact that Naruto had lifted him into the air.

Sasuke had all but a second to brace himself before his back connected with the hardened soil. His eyes closed tightly as another grunt of pain ejected from his throat.

The ebony haired teen felt a weight on his stomach and before he could throw Naruto off of him, several strikes connected to his face.

Left. Right. Left. Right.

Before the fifth one could connect, Sasuke felt the boy get yanked off of his body.

"That's enough!" Iruka's stern voice demanded. "Spars are purely stand up in the academy." The Chunin glared at Naruto before releasing his hand. "You're done for the day Naruto. It's clear that you cannot follow simple instructions!"

The blond child stared at Iruka through the holes of his mask before tilting his head towards Sasuke. He was silent for several moments before tilting his head and uttering a sentence that made Sasuke's blood run cold.

"You lack hatred... When you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."

Naruto ignored the boy's terrified expression as he began to leave the school grounds, ignoring the other Chunin teacher who tried to stop him from leaving.

Iruka sighed heavily as he spotted Ino running after Naruto. The boy was growing more unstable with each day that passed...

Why Hiruzen wanted the boy in the Shinobi Corps was beyond him. Naruto couldn't work with others as evidenced by his lack of sympathy for others.

He'd never pull his punches against anyone and when put with Ino he'd forfeit the match.

Iruka glanced down towards Sasuke who was already showing signs of heavy bruising. The boy's bottom was busted as blood slowly trickled from the side of his mouth.

The Chunin slowly helped the Uchiha back to his feet and watched as the boy slowly made his way towards the infirmary with a blank visage.

Iruka noticed how the boy reacted to the words Naruto said. He sported a terrified expression whether he was aware of it or not. Iruka sighed quietly before rubbing his eyes in annoyance.

"Naruto!" Ino's voice called out as she chased after the boy. The blonde teen reached her friend and grasped his arm, halting him from moving forward.

The two children were silent for several moments as Ino gently stroked his arm. "Hey... What's wrong?" She asked softly.

What was wrong?

...

A frown tugged at Naruto's face as he furrowed his eyebrows. Why _was_ he mad? Confusion swelled in his chest as he slowly tilted his head down to stare at his left hand. He clenched his fist tightly before blinking slowly.

"I... don't know..." He answered quietly. Naruto shifted his attention towards Ino who wore a saddened expression. "I'm... tired."

**(Warning - Trigger Scene)**

The blonde Yamanaka smiled weakly as she continued to gently stroke Naruto's arm. "I-is there anything I can do to... to help?" She offered weakly.

Naruto was quiet for several moments before sighing quietly. "No... No I don't think so, my Sunflower..." He answered truthfully.

A spike of pain nicked at Ino's chest at the boy's statement. "We-well... Then I'll try!" The girl's voice started off soft before gaining confidence quickly. She shifted her hold on his arm and immediately began to tug him along as she started walking forward, slightly dragging the Jinchuuriki.

"Come on! Mommy and Daddy are going to be upset but I don't care. You need help and I'm going to help you!" Her beautiful teal orbs glanced into his eyes as a small smile formed on her face. "After all, you're my best friend! And best friends _never_ give up on each other."

The Jinchuuriki's lips parted at the statement before he avoided her gaze. That caring and genuine gaze...

He didn't deserve it.

He'd never deserve it...

He failed her and she was clueless.

When she needed him the most he wasn't there for her...

Naruto closed his eyes as a spike of pain erupted from his chest. Despair and sadness seeping deep into his veins causing his mind to regress.

"Ohh Narutoooooo-kun~!" His Sunflower called out in a loving voice. "Pay attention, will ya?" A melodious giggle escaped through her lips as she tugged on his arm.

"Today's the day I'm finally going to be a certified Iryo Nin~! OOOOOOOOH! It's so exciting!" The young teen gushed on as she swayed side to side happily.

Naruto clenched his eyes tightly in hopes of ignoring the scene playing out in front of him.

The pain... The hurt... The _despair_...

Why? Why? Why????

Please! Please!

Stop! Stopstopstopstopstop!

"Neh, Naruto-kun~! Are you _proud_ of me?"

The teen felt a tear slip down his cheek as he refused to answer the girl's question. If he did not answer then he would not have to relive this _pain_...

And yet...

Naruto nodded his head at the girl's question and he felt the girl spin around his body while laughing joyfully.

It felt as if he was swimming through water... Desperately trying to swim against the rough currents threatening to drown and smother him should he stop moving forward.

"Ya know..." Her beautiful voice trailed off with a hint of mischief. "Daddy is going to be out this weekend and mommy is going out on her annual spring vacation with Auntie Yoshino..."

His eyes pried open and he came face to face with the visage of an older Ino who was smiling with half lidded eyes. She pressed her body against his as her lips rested near his ears. She exhaled heavily before whispering with a breathy voice.

"We'll have the compound to ourselves... _all alone_..." She trailed off suggestively. "Doesn't that sound..._ amazing_, Naruto-kun~?" The Yamanaka pulled away from his ear as her teal orbs met his gaze.

It felt as if a sword was being stabbed through his chest as he stared at Ino's face...

Her eyes... Her smile...

Naruto felt his head bob up and down against his wishes. The older Ino chuckled with a harmonious tone before speaking quietly.

"Where were you Naruto?"

No... No... NO!

Nonononono**nonononono**!!!!

**STOP! PLEASE!**

A quiet sob sprung from Naruto's throat as his eyes were pried open against his will. His stomach curled heavily and despair nestled in his chest as he took his Ino's form.

Her skirt was shredded, leaving the bottom half of her outfit completely tarnished. She sported several disgusting bruises all over her upper body and her eyes...

Her eyes...

"They _used_ me... Stripped away my innocence... _Tainted_ me..." Her body drew closer and Naruto resisted the urge to vomit as the girl continued to speak. "I cried out for hours... Hours upon hours of being _used_... Screamed your name out to save me... But you didn't..."

"I thought you _loved_ me, Naruto... I was abused and used against my will... _Violated _beyond comprehension... Did you not love me? Did you want me to suffer? To be raped and violated?"

The tears did not stop flowing. The despair. The hopelessness.

_The pain..._

They all coalesced into a tornado of anguish that threatened to rip his entire being apart. The agony and the despair clutched his soul tightly and did not allow him to escape.

"I'M SORRY! I-I... PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTA-!"

Naruto's statement was interrupted as the older Ino covered his mouth with her dirty hand. Her dead eyes glaring into his mismatched pupils as she whispered hatefully with a voice that was not her own.

**"You allowed me to suffer... Do you know how it feels to cry out the name of the person you love while being used as a toy for someone else's enjoyment?"**Ino's eyes shifted as her nose grazed Naruto's. A violet hue appeared in her right eye as she continued.

**"You'll relive every failure in your life until you _change_... Your pain is my pain. We are one in the same Naruto... The longer you resist the more painful it will be." **Naruto screamed out in pain as the older Ino gripped his skull with both hands while squeezing tightly.

**(Trigger Scene Over)**

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he awoke with a scream of pain. He thrashed wildly upon a bed that was not his own. He felt two sets of hands roam over his body trying to calm him down but he could not comprehend what was truly happening.

"Naruto! Stop! Calm down!" Inoichi's voice resounded out as he tried desperately to calm the hysterical Jinchuuriki. "You're _safe_ Naruto! Please!"

Saya relinquished her hold on the boy's legs before she gently clutched his face while pulling his gaze towards her eyes. The boy was still struggling heavily as Saya began to speak softly.

"Shhhh... I'm here, Naruto... Please, calm down. You have nothing to fear. I'm here... _We're _here for you."

Slowly but surely did the boy finally begin to calm down. His wild, unresponsive gaze began to clear with clarity as he stared into Saya's gentle brown eyes.

Naruto's chest heaved heavily as tears formed in his eyes. Several seconds passed by in silence before the boy launched himself towards Saya, wrapping his arms around her and clutching her tightly.

Saya's eyes narrowed in sadness as she felt the boy sob into the crook of her neck. Without a second thought, she returned the boy's embrace while whispering into his ears.

Uttering a sentence that would forever cement itself in Naruto's mind and one he would remember for the rest of his life.

"_Shhhh... Shhh Naruto-kun... Mommy's here. Mommy's here." _

The boy's sobs grew louder at the woman's statement and his hold on Saya tightened even further. The Yamanaka just continued her gentle gestures as her gaze met her husband's.

Inoichi stared into Saya's eyes for a brief moment before he sighed quietly. He rubbed his face tiredly before spotting Ino in the corner of the room watching the scene with tears in her eyes.

A weak smile formed on Inoichi's as Ino ran towards Saya and Naruto and engulfing the both of them in a hug. The man stared at the scene for several more moments before his face hardened. Inoichi said nothing as he made his way out of the room with a plan in mind.

Saya watched her husband leave the house with a gentle smile. She continued to rub Naruto's back with a gentle smile before planting a soft kiss atop his crown.

If she knew Inoichi like she believed she did then the man was most certainly going to claim custody over Naruto.

She would not mind having Naruto as her son... Not in the slightest. His mental state was the least of her concerns and she did not care how long it took to heal.

As a mother, she could not allow this boy to suffer any longer.

**Break**

_Clak._

_Clak._

_Clak._

The sound stopped abruptly as an elderly man slowly surveyed his surroundings. His one visible eye slowly opened as he stared at the countless dead corpses that lay before him.

A few moments passed by in silence before Danzo heard the distinct sound of flesh being torn into. A quiet wheeze resounded throughout the dark room followed by the soft thudding noise of a body hitting the floor.

It was quiet for several more moments before a figure began to slowly make its way towards his position. The individual was hidden away by the darkness but Danzo knew exactly who this was.

There was only a handful of individuals that were able to penetrate his underground fortress without his knowledge.

A frown tugged at the elderly man's features as the figure slowly stepped into the dim light. Their crimson eyes swirling with indifference and apathy.

The Grim Reaper of Konoha stood just several feet away from Danzo. In his left hand was the ninjato he had used to end the lives of his fellow clanmates. The weapon was encased in the life of essence and fresh blood slowly dripped onto the floor beneath him.

"You will not escape, Danzo. Your death is imminent and no amount of stolen Sharingan's will save you from me."

A heavy frown pulled at Danzo's features after Itachi's statement. How did Itachi know that he held pilfered Sharingans?

It wasn't until the conversation he had with the Jinchuuriki sprang forth in his mind did he realize what was happening.

_"The Grim Reaper of Konoha is always watching."_

Danzo clenched his cane tightly before opening his eyes. "That boy... He is dangerous."

Itachi's Sharingan began to slowly spin before shifting into another design. It now resembled a three bladed shuriken overlapped by a fan-like cross.

"He wishes for your death." The Uchiha states simply.

Danzo did not respond and only reached for the bandages wrapped around his head. He unwound the cloth slowly to reveal a fully matured Sharingan in his socket.

The man then slowly pulled his arm out of his robes, revealing strange gauntlet that encased his entire arm. The device released a hiss of air before it crumbled to the ground, landing with a loud clanging noise.

The man's arm held several matured Sharingans and it was a completely different skin tone, being all white with several wrinkles along the appendage.

Another figure slowly dropped down from the ceiling landing beside Itachi silently. Yugao glanced at her companion for a moment before staring at Danzo.

"I should have dealt with you immediately regardless of what Hiruzen believed." Danzo stated as he stared at Yugao.

The purple haired woman tilted her head before spinning her Katana in her hand. "You and your organization are a stain on Konoha. Hiruzen is unfit to lead Konoha and you are no better, pest. Now come... Die with some measure of honor."

**Break**

Naruto sat atop the head of the 4th Hokage with a blank gaze. His legs dangled over the edge as he slowly rose his gaze towards the moon. He was silent for several moments before sensing the presence of another individual.

"I take it he has been dealt with?" Naruto questioned quietly while pulling his mask over his face.

Neko stood directly beside the boy with her arms crossed against her chest. "Danzo will no longer be an obstacle..." She was silent for a brief moment before turning towards the boy. "Hiruzen will now act..."

The Jinchuuriki smirked beneath his mask as he responded. "That is the plan." He affirmed.

The masked woman glanced towards the boy before speaking. "And that plan is?" She questioned.

Naruto's gaze found the moon as he responded. "It depends on how he reacts. If it is negative, Itachi will remove him and Tsunade will replace him... But I do not believe he will be so hasty."

The blond Jinchuuriki slowly rose to his feet before placing his hands into his pockets. "I suspect that once he finds out about Danzo he will have Kakashi watching us. It will be annoying but not something we can't deal with."

Yugao was quiet for a brief moment before glancing towards the forest behind her. "Kakashi has already been watching me. I have avoided contact with you due to this."

"I suspected as much..." Naruto states quietly.

"Have you acquired what you needed from the Yamanaka's?" Yugao questions quietly.

The blond teen narrows his eyes as a frustrated expression forms on his face. His fingers curl in agitation as he answers curtly. "No, I haven't."

A small frown forms on the woman's face as she stares out into the village. "Do you believe they cannot help?"

Despite his lingering frustration he answers quietly. "I am starting to believe that they cannot but I will not give up. They fix fractured minds... It is only a matter of time..."

Yugao did not challenge the boy's statement despite how unsure he sounded. It was not her place to do so.

"I will lay low once more. If you need me, then call for me." Yugao disappears in a shunshin after her statement leaving Naruto alone, staring at the moon.

He was silent for several moments before sighing quietly and walking off the edge of the cliff.

**AN: The next chapter is where the story will pick up. Alot of the beginning was setup so that you could get a brief understanding of who Naruto is.**

**If you have questions, PM or leave reviews and I'll respond. See ya next time nerds.**

**Also Merry (early) Christmas! (:**


	7. Benzaiten

**AN: Hello my little idiots that follow this mediocre story! We're back with another update.**

**Naruto will be using his unique ability in this chapter so be sure to pay attention or you'll miss it.**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : Juice WRLD - Robbery

Hiruzen sighed quietly as he placed his writing utensil down upon his desk. He rubbed his eyes tiredly before sighing and slowly rising to his feet.

The elderly man slowly pushed his chair into his desk before organizing the piles of paper that sat on his desk. He meticulously separated the files, documents, and folders with a blank gaze before sighing quietly and stretching his aching muscles.

Hiruzen reached into his robes before fishing out his trusty pipe and lighting the object. He placed the item in his mouth before slowly making his way out of his office while idly inhaling the flavored tobacco within the pipe.

The Sandaime Hokage nodded to the remaining Shinobi and civilians that were still working in the building. He greeted several individuals with warm smiles as he made his way out of the building.

The moon sat high in the sky as Hiruzen slowly made his way towards his clan compound. His thoughts plagued with the recent happenings in Konoha.

Inoichi's constant insistence of being Naruto's parental guardian was becoming tiring and Hiruzen was steadfast in denying the man what he wanted.

Naruto was an _asset_ to Konoha. Whether Inoichi liked it or not meant little to Hiruzen. He had a role to play in this village and Hiruzen was going to make sure it happened.

Naruto was Konoha's Jinchuuriki and as its Jinchuuriki he was going to be its protector.

Hiruzen subtly narrowed his eyes as a gentle breeze passed by him. He came to a slow stop as he spread his senses around his surroundings.

None of his ANBU guards were present.

It was silent.

He couldn't sense anyone around him.

Except for one individual.

A silhouetted figure slowly rose from the shadows of the treeline and stood completely still. The figure was of average height and their features could not be distinguished.

The only thing that Hiruzen could actually make out was the high collared robe that they wore.

A small frown made its way onto Hiruzen's face as he recognized this individuals' chakra presence. An individual that had committed an atrocity unlike no other.

An individual with the talent and power of an aged Kage.

The youngest S-Rank Shinobi in the entire Elemental Nations. A man that caused fear to swell in the hearts of even the most battle hardened Shinobi in the world.

Itachi Uchiha...

The light that shined from the moon itself seemed to bend before slowly trailing over Itachi's form. His black robe gently swayed in the wind as his form became illuminated.

A heavy frown tugged at Hiruzen's face as Itachi remained motionless.

This... was _not_ good.

Hiruzen was a confident and powerful man despite his old age. He had lived through several wars and had even stared into the Kyuubi's eyes the day Minato passed onto the afterlife.

But here, in front of a boy who was three times his junior...

In front of _Itachi Uchiha_...

He was not confident. At all. In the slightest.

The elderly Hokage slowly shifted his hand and noticed that Itachi did not react. He was silent for several seconds before questioning Itachi in a simple tone.

"Itachi... Have you come to kill me?"

The Grim Reaper of Konoha did not acknowledge Hiruzen's question and continued to stare at his former leader. After several seconds of silence, Itachi slowly tilted his head. His pony tail shifted at the action causing his long hair to rest over his shoulder.

The 18 year old Shinobi slowly moved his left arm in front of him. His palm was facing towards the sky and the surrounding area seemed to darken immensely.

The light from the moon disappeared, enshrouding both Shinobi in complete darkness. Yet despite this, Hiruzen could still clearly see Itachi but not his surroundings.

Such a casual use of the** Kokuangyo no Jutsu**...

It only served to double down the thoughts that swirled in Hiruzen's head. Itachi was a man to be feared and this fact cemented in Hiruzen's mind just _who_ in fact he was dealing with.

After assessing the situation, Hiruzen noticed that a scroll lay flat in the teen's hand. The Uchiha's Sharingan was active as it slowly swirled, gazing upon Hiruzen as if he wasn't a threat.

While it stung at his pride, Hiruzen would not challenge the look. He already lacked the confidence in being able to deal with Itachi in the first place...

"What is it that you want?" Hiruzen questioned towards the S-Rank Shinobi.

Itachi continued to blankly stare at Hiruzen before the scroll that sat in his hand vibrated. The object was engulfed in black flames and it seemed to have zero affect on Itachi's hand, as evidenced by his blank stare and lack of reaction.

The scroll continued to burn before Itachi closed his hand abruptly. The black fire was snuffed out immediately as Itachi slowly rotated his clenched hand.

Hiruzen blinked once and in the time it took him to blink, Itachi was now holding something.

But not just anything...

He was holding a decapitated head.

A decapitated head that resembled someone Hiruzen was _intimately_ familiar with.

Another frown tugged at Hiruzen's features as he took in the sight of Danzo's decapitated head.

The man's mouth was sliced from cheek to cheek and he lacked eyes, leaving the sockets an endless black abyss. Dried blood ran down the eye sockets while fresh blood slowly dripped from the neck.

Itachi slowly flicked his wrist while letting go of Danzo's skull. The man's head bounced on the ground several times before slowly rolling towards Hiruzen's feet. The head came to a perfect stop just before his feet as Hiruzen stared directly at the man's head.

"Izumi sends her regards."

It was the only thing Itachi said.

The man's form began to deteriorate before breaking down into a thousand crows. The cacophony provided by the birds masked his escape as the black world that surrounded them broke apart.

The world bled with color after Itachi's disappearance and Hiruzen was able to freely sense his surroundings once more.

Hiruzen ignored that in favor of staring at Danzo's decapitated head.

This was certainly a message...

Izumi had been Itachi's female suitor growing up and the two had already been betrothed to one another long before knowing each other. When Itachi became of age, the two were to marry and Itachi would take over as acting Clan Head of the Uchiha's.

But as per the norm for Shinobi, things do not go the way as planned.

Danzo had... took matters into his own hands and decided that Shisui would carry out the massacre. Itachi was placed aside and had not been informed of the plan due to his importance and future revolving around the Uchiha Clan and Konoha as a whole.

He was prospected as a candidate for the title of Hokage and Hiruzen would not allow the boy to commit this atrocity in hopes of preventing a Civil War within Konoha.

A Civil War that would have certainly destroyed Konoha...

Izumi had tried to prevent Shisui from carrying out his task and...

Her death was the catalyst.

Itachi had slaughtered his clanmates and would have certainly killed more had he had not been found by that ANBU cell.

Hiruzen had specifically ordered that team to survey the Uchiha compound as Shisui carried out his mission but of course with Itachi's intervention, they did what they could to prevent him.

The boy was not only killing those involved with the Revolt but he had been killing those who weren't involved.

From children to the elderly... He did not seem to care.

Hiruzen sighed quietly before pulsing his Chakra in a specific pattern. A few seconds passed by in silence before several ANBU rushed towards his position.

He wasn't sure if Itachi was going to finish the job in slaughtering his clanmates but Hiruzen was going to make sure that the remaining Uchiha's were safe.

**Break**

Naruto quietly leaned on the metal railing that would lead into the Hokage Mountain. He was staring at the rising moon with a small smile on his face and had his mask dangling off his pants.

"They will take me in for questioning tomorrow..." A feminine voice rang out beside him.

Naruto glanced towards the individual who spoke aloud. "And you will not resist." He stated quietly.

Neko narrowed her eyes before leaning on the metal railing. "Inoichi Yamanaka will sift through my memories. You must have a plan, yes?"

The blond child smirked as he glanced towards the purple haired ANBU Captain. "You underestimate my ability, Yugao. It will be fine."

Yugao did not immediately respond and chose to remain silent. She gazed upon the setting sun with a detached expression for several minutes.

"Care to explain?" She questioned with an unseen raised eyebrow.

Naruto glanced at the woman before shrugging his shoulders. "Anything he wishes to see will just be fabricated. I can impart these memories into your mind and he will be none the wiser."

Yugao pursed her lips before responding. "There's no guarantee that it will work."

The glow that emitted from his violet pupil unnerved Yugao. She felt a chill run down her spine as he regarded her with a blank gaze.

"It will work. You did your job and now I will do mine."

**Break**

Naruto quietly sat in the window sill of his room provided by Saya and Inoichi. His mask was left on his bed as he stared at the moon that rested high in the heavens. He was silent for several seconds before turning towards his right and spotting Itachi.

The teen was staring at the moon as his Akatsuki cloak gently swayed in the wind.

Naruto's surroundings distorted slightly and all of his senses disappeared. He was silent for a few moments before returning his gaze towards the moon.

"His reaction?" Naruto questioned quietly.

Itachi was silent for a moment before replying, his gaze not leaving the moon. "Fear. He avoided confrontation... I'm sure he has Shinobi standing guard around the Uchiha compound."

Naruto nodded his head once before pulling one of his legs up and resting it on the window sill. The boy draped one of his arms over his leg before speaking. "Are you capable of bypassing them? I'm sure you wish to visit Izumi."

The Grim Reaper of Konoha narrowed his eyes before responding. "Will it be a problem?" He questioned while glancing at the boy out the corner of his eyes.

Naruto shifted his attention towards Itachi for a brief moment before shrugging his shoulders.

"Do as you wish."

The blond child waved his land lazily after his response before slowly retreating into his room. He grasped the latch of the window before staring directly into Itachi's eyes and speaking once more.

"Give Mikoto a hint... I wish to speak with her after graduating."

Itachi did not respond and silently watched the boy close the window. The ebony haired Shinobi slowly moved away from the window before disappearing in a flock of crows.

Naruto leaned his hands on the wooden panel of the window and stared directly at his reflection in the glass. His face became shrouded in darkness as his violet pupil glowed ominously.

"N-Naruto-kun..."

The boy pulled away from the window as he turned his head towards the entrance of his room. He furrowed his eyebrows as he spotted a nervous looking Ino who was holding her blanket and pillow in her hands.

"Can I... Can I sleep with you? I-I had a nightmare..." The girl's gaze slowly found the floor as she clutched her blanket and pillow tightly.

Naruto was silent for a few moments before glancing towards his own bed. He shrugged his shoulders before nodding his head. "Of course..."

Ino smiled briefly before slowly wadding through the room with her blanket trailing behind her. The girl slowly hopped into his bed while pulling her blanket up. She picked his mask up before placing it on the night stand that sat beside the bed.

The girl placed her pillow beside Naruto's before turning towards the boy and offering him a small smile. "Thank you..."

Naruto returned the gesture with a smile of his own. He briefly glanced towards the window that he had been previously staring at.

And what he saw...

His eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at his reflection. The image that greeted him... wasn't normal.

His reflection sported a sick smile and its eyes were pitch black. The whisker marks that sat on its face were jagged and its canines were elongated.

Naruto stared at the demonic doppelganger for several moments before clenching his fists angrily. He made to strike the glass before being stopped by Ino's voice.

"Are you... Are you coming, Naruto?"

The boy's previous ire disappeared as his attention shifted towards Ino. She was sitting in the bed with a concerned visage etched onto her face.

Naruto swallowed quietly before returning his attention to the window. The demonic reflection was no where to be found as Naruto stared at the glass quietly.

The blond child shook his head before slowly making his way towards his bed. He hopped into the bed before slowly pulling his covers over his body. He glanced to his right, spotting Ino was already curled up in her blanket. A soft smile formed on his face as he bid her goodnight.

"Good night, Ino-chan."

"Night Naruto-kun!"

**Break**

Kakashi sighed quietly as he stared at the three pre-teens that sat before him. His visible eye strayed from each child as he took in their forms with a scrutinizing gaze.

Sasuke Uchiha...

Naruto Uzumaki...

Ino Yamanaka...

This was a catastrophe _waiting_ to happen.

What in the _fuck_ was Hiruzen thinking by putting Sasuke and Naruto on the same team?!

Ino being on the team just added gasoline to the fire!

This was a disaster!

How was he going to prevent the boy's from _killing_ each other?

Namely, Naruto... The boy was on a constant hair trigger at all possible times.

His lack of remorse, his lack of sympathy and empathy, and the disregard he showed to authority was going to be a nightmare...

The information revolving around Naruto concerning Yugao and Itachi was another can of worms _on top_ of this shit show...

If Sasuke pestered the boy then Kakashi had no doubts that Naruto would lash out. If the boy said something regarding _Ino_...

Kakashi shook his head before closing his eye and raising his head towards the sky. He was silent for several long moments before shaking his head once more.

The Jonin clapped his hands once before gesturing towards the three Genin in front of him. "Follow me, if you will. We'll talk on the rooftops."

Before the man could disappear in a shunshin one of his students spoke.

"Sensei, do you play Shogi?"

Kakashi's hands found purchase in his pockets as he directed his attention towards Naruto who was staring directly into his visible eye.

The silver haired Jonin was silent for a brief moment before replying simply. "On occasion, yes."

Where was the boy going with this?

The blond child sported a small smile as he tinkered with his mask. "Are you well versed in the game?"

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows at the question before shrugging lazily. "I'm no Nara but I'd say I'm pretty decent at the game. So, yes." He answered nonchalantly.

Naruto was quiet for a moment before offering the man another smile. "That's good... Can we play together sometime then?"

Kakashi stared at the Jinchuuriki for several moments before answering slowly. "If you bring the board and pieces, then sure." He shrugged lazily once more.

Naruto grinned at his response before turning towards Ino. "Race you to the roof!" He took off in a sprint towards the building before jumping onto the wall and sticking to it with his Chakra.

Ino yelped loudly before following in his footsteps, yelling at his back. "You're cheating! You can't do that!"

Kakashi stared at the two children as they ran up the wall of the academy with little issue. He was silent for several moments before glancing towards the remaining Uchiha.

The boy was staring at his teammates with an annoyed visage before shaking his head and following after them. The boy placed his foot on the wall before slowly walking up it with his hands in his pockets.

Kakashi stared at the Uchiha for a few moments before sighing quietly.

At least they knew how to use their chakra... So, that was a plus.

The Jonin disappeared in a shunshin and appeared in front of the children. He raised an eyebrow as he watched Naruto and Ino play Rock, Paper, Scissors. He glanced towards Sasuke and took note of the boy's annoyed expression.

This was not going to be fun... At all.

"So... Welcome to the world of Shinobi. You're Genin now." Kakashi started off lazily. He proceeded to reach into his flak jacket before pulling out an orange book. He leaned on the railing of the roof before continuing. "I'm your Sensei until you reach the rank of Chunin... Welcome to Team 7."

The three Genin stared at the Jonin quietly and just patiently waited for him to continue speaking.

Naruto glanced around his surroundings before shrugging his shoulders and taking a seat on the ground. Ino glanced towards him before following his actions and sitting beside him. Sasuke chose to remain standing.

Kakashi subtly analyzed his students before speaking. "Why don't we introduce ourselves, hmm?" He turned a page in his book before gesturing towards Naruto. "You first."

Naruto smiled at the man before raising his hand towards his temple and offering a two fingered salute. "Naruto Uzumaki."

He said nothing else.

Ino glanced at her best friend before smiling and placing her hands in her lap. "I'm Ino Yamanaka! Uhh... Should I tell you about myself or...?" She trailed off unsurely.

Kakashi was silent for a moments before shrugging his shoulders and responding. "If you want to."

Ino nodded her head, causing her pony tail to bounce. "I love flowers and... Uhh. Well, I want to help people... And I figured the best way to do that is to become a Kunoichi!" She finished her statement with a large smile as she stared at Kakashi.

The man was silent for a moment before absentmindedly speaking. "You'd probably be a fine Iryo-Nin then..."

Ino tilted her head curiously at the statement. "Iryo-Nin, huh?"

Naruto's expression was completely blank as he stared at the girl. His previous smile erasing as if not existing in the first place.

Kakashi took note of the boy's expression and gestured towards Sasuke. "Your turn, kid."

The ebony haired teen was silent for a brief moment before closing his eyes and placing his hands into his pockets. "Sasuke Uchiha." He answered shortly.

If Kakashi was bothered by the short response then he did little to show it. He was about to speak but was beat to it by Naruto.

"Sensei, what's your name?"

Kakashi stared directly into Naruto's mismatched orbs and he felt anxiety build in his chest. His vision swayed for a brief moment as he experienced tunnel vision. He felt his equilibrium get thrown off balance as the feeling of anxiety threatened to swallow him whole.

"Sensei! Are you ok?"

Kakashi was brought out of his near panic attack by Ino's question. The man blinked a single time and noticed that Ino was patting his back with a concerned visage while Naruto was shouldering some of his weight.

Even Sasuke was aiding him, kind of. The boy was standing near his teammates and seemed slightly apprehensive about the situation, but was there to offer a hand if his teammates needed it.

Kakashi glanced at the Yamanaka in confusion before blinking quietly, trying to assess what had happened.

"You ok, Sensei? I asked you a question and you started to freak out... Did I do something wrong?" Naruto stared at the Jonin with a worried gaze.

Kakashi slowly stood to his full height before rubbing his face. He shook his head several times before exhaling slightly.

"You never answered Naruto's question, Sensei!" Ino supplemented.

The silver haired Jonin glanced towards the girl before nodding quietly. "Uhh... Kakashi Hatake." The man rubbed the back of his head before adopting an apologetic expression. "Sorry for that... Don't know what happened."

Naruto adopted a small smile before patting his Sensei on the back. "It's ok Sensei!" The boy moved away before taking his spot on the ground once more.

The Genin returned to their previous positions as Kakashi continued to get his bearings. He was silent for several minutes as he leaned on the metal railing while rubbing his face.

"Sorry about that... Where was I?" He questioned rhetorically. He was silent for a moment before nodding quietly. "Ahh, yes... Welcome to Team 7. We officially start tomorrow. Be at training ground 3 tomorrow. I'm going to test your combat abilities tomorrow amongst some other things. Enjoy the rest of your day."

The Jonin disappeared after his statement leaving the three students alone with one another. The trio of Genins were silent for a few moments before Sasuke eventually left without saying a word.

Ino frowned at the boy and was about to speak before being stopped by Naruto. The boy patted her thigh while shaking his head with a small frown. She returned his frown with a small pout.

"Why not?" She questioned.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders as he slowly stood to his feet. "Because he's not going to care... And I don't feel like kicking his face in today."

Ino slowly rose to her feet while slapping Naruto's arm softly. "Stop it."

Naruto did not respond to the girl, only offering her a small smirk. The blond wrapped an arm around his best friend before pulling her towards him while ignoring her surprised yelp.

"C'mon! Let's go do some stuff!"

Ino slowly nodded her head as the boy interlocked his fingers with hers. She allowed the boy to lead her off of the building as she questioned what they would be doing.

"So, what's the plan?"

Naruto shrugged with a smile. "Who knows?"

**Break**

An unmasked Yugao slowly opened her eyes as she came face to face with a blond man. Her arms were bound to her sides and she had a seal on the very back of her neck that was glowing purple, restricting her from using Chakra. Her feet were bound together and she had another seal that rested on her naval. Her face was blank giving away absolutely nothing as she continued to stare directly into Inoichi's eyes.

There was only a table separating the two Shinobi and above the table was a low hanging light bulb that illuminated both Shinobi.

"You understand why you are here, Yugao Uzuki?"

The aforementioned ANBU Captain responded quietly. "Yes."

Inoichi nodded his head before gesturing with his hand. "We will bypass normal procedures, if that is fine with you. You are being monitored as we speak and this entire session is being recorded."

Yugao said nothing.

Inoichi nodded his head before leaning back in his chair. "What is your name?"

"Yugao Uzuki."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-two."

"At what age did you enlist in the Shinobi Corps?"

"Eight."

"At what age were you drafted into ANBU?"

"Redacted."

"What is your Shinobi ID?"

"Redacted."

Inoichi nodded quietly at the answer before continuing. "Who did you serve under whilst in the ANBU Department?"

"Redacted."

"Who was your keeper whilst in the ANBU Department?"

"Redacted."

"Who was your lover whilst in the Shinobi Corps?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Yugao eventually responded.

"Redacted."

Inoichi stared at the woman who had yet to break eye contact and nodded his head quietly.

"Four years ago, you were given a mission by the Hokage. What was this mission?"

"Specifics are to be addressed by Hokage-sama."

Inoichi glanced behind Yugao, seeking affirmation from the man himself. There was a brief lull of silence before the man nodded his head while returning his attention to Yugao.

"Permission is granted."

"I was to be the replacement keeper of one Naruto Uzumaki."

"What was your main objective?"

"To Shadow over the boy to make sure he was not abused."

"You were in contact with the boy?"

"Yes."

Inoichi pursed his lips as he idly drummed his fingers on the metal table. He was silent for a few moments before speaking again.

"How many hours a day did you shadow over him for?"

"Eighteen."

"During this time period, did you inform the boy of your name?"

There was a tense silence that followed Inoichi's statement. The woman did not immediately respond but not once did she ever break eye contact with the Yamanaka. After an entire minute of silence, she finally answered.

"Yes."

Inoichi's eyes roamed behind Yugao for a moment before returning to her face.

"You broke the code." He stated moreso than questioned.

"Correct." She answered simply.

The blond man leaned back into his chair before crossing his arms against his chest. "Why?"

The woman's blank facade finally cracked as she tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Because I wanted the boy to finally experience what happiness was."

Inoichi swallowed lightly before exhaling quietly. "You. Broke. The. Code." He slowly enunciated.

Yugao responded almost immediately with a piercing gaze that could penetrate steel. "And I would do so again. I will not allow Minato's son to suffer any longer... The child of this villages' Hero does not deserve to be treated like _trash_."

Inoichi wholeheartedly agreed with that statement but he could not express it at this very moment. It would help no one and Yugao's loyalty was currently being questioned.

Personally, Inoichi believed that Hiruzen was paranoid... The man seemed to have some hidden agenda against Naruto and Inoichi couldn't fathom the reason why.

Kushina hadn't been treated like this but at the same time, the beast she held did not destroy half of the village at the time...

Naruto still didn't deserve the treatment at all but perhaps Hiruzen held some sort of resentment for all of the lives lost. It still didn't make it right though.

Naruto had not been treated any differently by him or Saya or _any_ of the other Yamanaka members regardless of how many had perished that tragic night.

Naruto Uzumaki was _not_ the Bijuu that rested inside the seal.

Inoichi was quiet for several minutes as he stared directly into her chocolate brown eyes. His eyes strayed towards the window that sat behind her as he stared at the individuals who were standing behind the glass.

Inoichi remained silent before sighing quietly and slowly rising to his feet. "I will conduct a mind walk now. Standard procedure and all... Your cooperation is not needed but I recommend it. Your life rests solely in my hands, Yugao."

The aforementioned Kunoichi did not react to the statement and proceeded to close to her eyes.

The Clan Head moved towards the woman before going through several hand seals. His hands glowed a bright green before he placed one them against the woman's forehead. Yugao's body tensed for a single second before she went completely slack.

Inoichi closed his eyes and the world around him began to slowly disappear. The walls slowly crumbled and deteriorated as an empty void of black encased his surroundings, drowning out all color.

Several seconds went by in silence before a loud cracking noise emitted around Inoichi. The black walls that surrounded him began to slowly melt away as Yugao's mindscape began to form.

The blond man glanced around his surroundings taking note of the endless plains and meadows that greeted him. Beautiful and colorful flowers sprouted every few feet with some being tall and powerful and others having wilted and or died.

There was a gigantic sun that shone brightly with very few clouds that hovered above. The grass went on for miles upon miles and seemed endless.

Inoichi was silent for another few moments before feeling a presence beside him. He glanced towards the individual and spotted a far younger looking Yugao who was sitting on the grass with a peaceful expression on her face.

The woman did not acknowledge his presence, choosing to ignore him completely as she basked in the calming aura of her mind.

Inoichi stared at her for several seconds before slowly approaching her position and taking a seat beside her. Crossing his legs, he gestured towards the endless meadows.

"Your mindscape is beautiful, Yugao-san. Not what one would expect given your rank in Konoha and all that you've seen."

Yugao, who couldn't be older than 15, glanced towards the older man before offering him a shrug. "At the end of the day, you yourself choose the way in which you respond to the stimuli surrounding you." Her gloved hands raked through the grass beneath her as she closed her eyes. "I will not drown in the sorrow that surrounds me due to my lifestyle."

Inoichi pursed his lips for a moment before turning his attention towards the bountiful amount of flowers. Sunflowers, roses, dandelions... There were all types of flowers, varying in color, shape and size.

"Take me back four years, if you would Yugao." He spoke politely.

The woman said nothing as the ground beneath them lurched. Their surroundings seemed to blur as they rapidly sped through the meadow of endless flowers. A few seconds passed by before the ground stopped moving as they reached their destination.

Red chrysanthemums surrounded them and Inoichi pursed his lips once more. Red chrysanthemums were supposedly the symbol of hope and love.

Inoichi glanced towards Yugao and noticed that the girl was now laying in a bed of the aforementioned flowers and had a gentle expression on her face, almost as if she had fallen asleep.

The man continued to stare at the sleeping woman before slowly rising to his feet while walking through the endless expanse of Chrysanthemums. His fingers would occasionally glide atop some of the taller flowers as memories formed in his head from the brief touches.

There were thousands of memories of the woman just observing Naruto and remaining hidden.

Day in, day out.

Waiting.

Watching.

Sympathizing.

Empathizing.

Inoichi idly noticed that the further he walked into the meadow the darker his surroundings became. The sun that had once shone so brightly was now but a dim light. The once tall and powerful chrysanthemums were now smaller and were wilting.

Hours and hours of watching the boy...

Watching and listening as he was verbally berated by the populace.

Isolated and slung to the outskirts.

Avoided and hated.

Inoichi's eyes narrowed in sadness as the gigantic sun dimmed once more before fizzling out in its entirety. The Chrysanthemums were now laying on the floor, either dead or burned. The grass now resembling that of charred earth.

Emotions that he couldn't even hope to understand began to assault him. Yugao's emotions wrapping around his body as if trying to get him to understand.

A particular memory slammed into him as it overrode the mindscape he was standing in.

His surroundings disappeared and he watched the scene play out in front of him from the third person.

_Yugao stood atop a tree as she observed Naruto who was sitting on an old swing, swimming in his despair and sadness.__Negative emotions poured out of him like a faucet as tears slowly slid down his face. The boy's expression was completely blank despite the bountiful amount of tears that dripped onto the soil beneath him._

Inoichi wanted to close his eyes as the depressing emotions bore into his very soul, threatening to swallow him whole. But... he couldn't.

He _needed_ to understand why Yugao had done what she done. He _had_ to. If not for Konoha's sake, then for his own sake. To know that he and his wife were doing the right thing.

_Yugao continued to stare down at the boy as she fidgeted with her Katana. Her other hand would occasionally clench and unclench as she struggled to make a decision on how to handle this situation._

_Her__ masked visage tilted down as she heard a particularly loud sob emanate from the boy. His blank expression held for all but a few seconds before his face scrunched up painfully.__The rope that his hands gripped onto burned into his hand as he leaned his head forward. He released a pitiful sob once more as his tears began to flow without stopping._

_Yugao's__ eyes clenched tightly before she adopted a hardened expression. The woman slowly rose her head before dropping down in front of the 8 year old boy._

_Yugao__ stared at the crying boy for another few moments as she debated on what she was doing. She knew she shouldn't be doing this..._

_But..._

_Naruto was just a child... One who did not deserve this treatment. A child shouldn't suffer like this..._

_Minato's son had suffered **enough**._

_"Why are you crying, Naruto-kun?"_

_The question made the blond boy hiccup in surprise. He jumped in his seat as he came face to face with the porcelain material of a Cat themed mask.Tears slowly dripped down his face as he stared at the ANBU who had spoken to him._

_"__Y-you're__ talking to m-me?" His voice was small and unsure, as if in total disbelief that someone had chosen to speak with him._

_Yugao__ had to refrain from frowning deeply. Her left hand clenched tightly as she willed herself to calm down. She spoke in a soothing tone as she replied to the child._

_"Of course, little one."_

_Naruto licked his lips nervously as his tears seemed to stop flowing. He stared at the woman before swallowing quietly. "Are... you going to hurt me?"_

_Yugao once again had to resist the urge to clench her teeth angrily. "I would never hurt you, Naruto."_

_The blond child scooted back from the woman before responding hesitantly. "H-how... You know my name?"_

_"Yes. I know alot about you Naruto. I watch over you to make sure you're safe."_

_She did not expect his face to scrunch up in anger._

_"Y-you watch me everyday?! Then why haven't you helped me?!" Tears began to slide down his face, though these were of anger instead of sorrow. "I-I... You see what I go through everyday! Why didn't you help?! Why didn't you say anything?! WHAT DID I DO?!"_

_Yugao was taken aback by the reaction for all but a second before her eyes narrowed sadly._

_So... This was the outcome of the villages' treatment..._

_A sad, angry child that couldn't understand what had happened for him to receive this treatment..._

_Yugao slowly dropped on a one knee and took note of the boy's fearful expression. Before he could try to move away Yugao wrapped her arms around the boy._

_The__ boy's eyes widened exponentially and his knee jerk reaction caused him to try to escape. He fought the woman's hold for several seconds as Yugao continued to hold him._

_"__Shhh__ shhh shhh..." Yugao whispered soothingly as she gently combed through his spikey hair. "I'm not going to hurt you..."_

_Naruto's defenses held fast for a few more moments before slowly he succumbed to the gentle hold that Yugao had on him. His face scrunched up tightly before his arms wrapped around her tightly. He began to release quiet sobs as Yugao gently rubbed his back._

_"W-why me? What did I do?! I-I didn't do anything..."_

_Yugao's heart clenched tightly at the questions and she just held the small child tighter._

_"Why... Why... Why me__?"_

_Yugao was silent for several moments before gripping her mask in her hand. She slowly tilted the mask so that only the lower third of her face was exposed. She did not allow the boy to see it, but she whispered something into the boy's ear._

_"My name... is Yugao Uzuki. It is nice to finally meet you, Naruto Uzumaki."_

Inoichi's form was forced out of the memory and he recoiled from the sheer ferocity of the action. A sharp pounding emanated from his head as he stumbled backwards from the unexpected action.

His back collided with an unknown surface and he shifted on the balls of his heels as he came face to face with the _actual_ Yugao. Her ANBU outfit was still in place but she lacked her Katana and Mask.

"You. Need. To. Leave."

Her tone and facial expression actually shook Inoichi to his core. There was so much... anger lurking in those brown eyes. So much restrained fury and rage.

"You got your answer... Now get the _fuck_ out of my mind." Her tone was laced with venom as she glared directly at the man.

Inoichi was silent for several moments as he weathered the woman's ferocious stare. To her surprise, his eyes narrowed sadly as he responded.

"I understand why you did what you did, Yugao-san... I do not judge your nor do I believe what Hiruzen will no doubt assume." He was quiet for a moment before shaking his head sadly. "I and my wife are doing all we can to help... I fear it will not be enough though..." Inoichi bowed low to the woman as his form began to dissipate. He said one last thing before he fully disappeared from the woman's mindscape.

"Thank you... for showing him some form of happiness..."

**Break**

Naruto waved at Ino with a small smile. "I'll be back in an hour. I need to get some things."

Ino sported a small frown as she stood on the stairs that led to her home. "I can go with you if you want me to."

The blond Jinchuuriki just smiled at her before shaking his head. "It's fine, Ino. I'll be quick. Promise."

The heiress frowned for a moment before sighing quietly. "Okay..." She responded dejectedly.

Naruto poked the girl on her nose before speaking in an amused tone. "Ah ah ah. No pouting. I'll be back soon."

Naruto ignored her petulant expression as he slowly made his way out of the Yamanaka Compound. He ignored all of the villagers who either glared at him or sneered at him.

He did not care about them. They were irrelevant and they'd eventually feel his wrath.

_Useless creatures..._

Twenty minutes passed by as Naruto reached the outskirts that the Uchiha Compound resided in. He glanced at the gates that would lead into the Uchiha Compound before bypassing it entirely.

He knew that she was following him.

Naruto continued his slow pace before making his way towards one of the lakes that was near the compound. The boy slowly walked on the wooden boards of the man-made dock before stopping a foot away from the end of the dock. He placed his hands into his pockets and just stared at the lake as he waited for the woman to speak to him.

It wouldn't take long.

Mikoto was a patient woman but when it came to her children... Even he himself would fear her wrath.

"Where is he?"

It was a simple question, Naruto thought. He knew what she wanted.

"You will have to be specific, Mikoto-san." He answered without turning around. He left his back completely exposed as a message to the woman.

A message displaying his lack of care for her actions.

If she attacked him, then both of her son's would die.

Naruto heard the woman draw closer to his position and she now stood directly beside him. Her Sharingan was blazing ferociously as she stared at him with a blank expression.

"Where is my son?" She questioned slowly.

Naruto glanced at the woman before slowly tugging his mask over his face. The porcelain material slid down, hiding his features as he responded slowly.

"Itachi is fine." He did not provide any other details.

"That answered nothing." She responded placidly.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders uncaringly. "That is the point. I need leverage over you. You're a _dangerous_ woman." He glanced at the woman before shrugging once more. "You have the potential to ruin everything. I'd rather you work _with_ me than _against_ me."

Mikoto's Sharingan blazed with the ferocity of a caged lion as her nose curled angrily. "What. Do. You. Want?"

"It is simple." He gestured with one of his hands before continuing. "I have use of your Mangekyou Sharingan. It is... powerful. Arguably moreso than Shisui's. And _that _is a feat in itself."

Mikoto resisted the urge to strike the boy down as she glared at his form. That comment all those months ago had plagued her dreams for so many nights.

_"I can't see into the future like you can." _

This boy knew, on some level, what her Mangekyou Sharingan could do. The only individuals she had told this information to was her late husband and Hiruzen.

Her kids did not know and neither did anyone else.

This _child_ knew her strongest ability and hadn't made it a secret. Purposely seeking her out... He was taunting her.

"I should kill you now." She stated with narrowed eyes.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders as he responded simply. "Then both of your sons will die." He eyed the woman out the corner of his eye before speaking again. "Surely that isn't what you wish, hmm? Afterall, you still need to atone for your sins..."

Naruto chuckled quietly at her furious expression before finishing. "Izumi's grave still angers Itachi... _You're _the reason she's dead anyway."

Mikoto's nails bit into the palms of her hands as she clenched her teeth angrily. How did he know these things?!

It shouldn't be possible!

"Do as I say, when I say... and your son will return to you." Naruto slowly shifted on the balls of his heels as he faced away from Mikoto. His shoulder aligned with hers as he rolled his neck.

"Use it." He stated simply.

Mikoto pursed her lips angrily before inhaling deeply. Her Sharingan slowly spun before changing in its entirety, resembling that of a lilypad with black dots surrounding the design. Both of her eyes began to bleed as she spoke in a blank tone.

**"Benzaiten!" **

The entire world, sans Naruto and Mikoto, _froze_.

The birds that had been flying in the air came to a grinding halt. The numerous fish that swam in the lake before them halted as if they had froze.

The entirety of the Elemental Nations completely halted.

Time came to a _complete_ stop as Naruto stared at Mikoto with a smirk, which was hidden by his mask.

"Such an interesting ability... The Goddess Of All That Flows, hmm? That is fitting..." He trailed off silently before tilting his head with a small expression.

"There will be a day that I will call out for your ability. When I call, you will answer. If not, both Sasuke and Itachi will be killed." Naruto began to walk away from the motionless woman who snarled quietly. "Good bye Mikoto-san. It was a... _pleasure_."

Time continued to remain motionless as Mikoto clenched her eyes tightly. Blood slowly seeped out from beneath her palms as she turned towards the boy's retreating form.

Hate and rage coalesced in her breast as she watched him walk away.

_"I'm going to **kill **you... Naruto Uzumaki." _

**AN: This has become one of my _best_ chapters that I've probably ever written. Fucking ezclap idyuts.**

**Remember to Review, Follow and Favorite. See ya next time cunts! (:**


	8. What a Nice Home

**AN: Idiots of mine! It is I! Razuhfy! Back with an update.**

**(Ignore the fact that I have 4 drafts with over 4k words waiting to be updated and completed.)**

**Before we go any further I need to preference this chapter with the following ; The story is about to get incredibly dark and the title of this story will finally reveal itself.**

**This first scene that is written will not make sense plot wise for a bit until it's revealed _why_ it even happens in the first place. It'll make sense later basically. **

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : Bad Bunny - Pero Ya No

* * *

_"What a nice home..."_

Mismatched orbs slowly roamed across the lavish home with an appraising gaze. The figure was garbed in a standard ANBU outfit equipped with a small Tanto that rested on the individuals back.

The only distinguishable features about the Shinobi was their blond, spiky hair and the fact that they were shorter than the average ANBU member.

The blond ANBU member slowly placed his hand on the unnecessarily large black gates and began to slowly trail his fingers across it. His black sandals lightly crunching the gravel and dirt beneath his feet as he continued to stare at the lavish home while slowly walking closer to the entrance of the home.

A single violet orb glowed ominously from beneath the Dog-styled mask that sat on the individuals face. A quiet humming noise began to emit from the Shinobi's throat as he slowly crept towards the entrance gate of the ginormous home.

The teenager slowly glanced behind them searching for the sun and noticed that it was just on the cusp of rising in the air. An unseen smirk formed on their face as they spotted a figure crouching on a tree almost 20 meters away.

The man's humming seemed to grow louder as he approached the entrance of the gate. His hands fiddled with the lock for a brief moment before a quiet clicking noise was heard.

The teenager's humming rose in pitch at their successful picklocking attempt as he slowly made his way towards the home. A beautiful plot of land surrounded him as he glanced to and fro.

The grass was vibrant.

The yard was cut to perfection.

The sunlight from the now rising sun encased the home in a beautiful glow worthy of the Gods themselves.

It was tainted by the presence of the blond teen whos shadow seemed to stretch farther than humanly possible. It wriggled and moved in an alien form as the teen continued his slow gait.

His sandaled feet stoped just an inch from the marble stairway that would lead onto the immaculate porch of the home. The teen grew quiet as he stared at the entrance of the home.

He stared.

And stared..

And stared...

Abruptly, the teen began to slowly climb the stairs while retaining his slow gait.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

The sound of an old, antique wind chime rang out softly as the boy continued closer to the home. The teen paid the item no mind as he strode closer to the door of the home.

Upon reaching the door, an unseen smile began to blossom on his face. His mismatched orbs trailed along the glass pane of the door and took in all of the intricate designs that were carefully etched into it.

He raised one of his gloved hands before slowly and rhythmically rapping it against the glass of the door.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

On the third hit, he lowered his hand back into his pocket and patiently waited for an answer.

Seconds passed by before he heard several voices speaking from within the home. They were muffled and slightly difficult to make out but the teen managed bits and pieces.

"Who wou... knock... _six_ in...orning?"

"Ans... door!"

The blond teen heard silence for a brief moment before seeing a distorted image of a man from the glass of the door. He remained motionless as several locks being turned resounded from behind the door of the home.

The door slowly opened to reveal a man who seemed to be in his mid 40's. He had a 5 o'clock shadow and was rather skinny. His hair was pitch black and the beginnings of his hairline seemed to be receding.

The man's expression was of groggy confusion as he stared at who he believed was an ANBU Shinobi. The man blinked several times before slowly rubbing his face and yawning quietly.

"They..." He yawned in an exaggerated manner before continuing. "They sure love recruiting young. What can I do for ya?"

The blond ANBU Shinobi slowly tilted their head before glancing behind the man, spotting the man's wife. She had relatively short brown hair with thin eyebrows. She seemed to finally be showing signs of her older age as evidenced by the crows feet near her eyes. She was garbed in a silky see-through robe that left little to the imagination. Thankfully, she wore a set of black, lacey lingerie that covered her modesty. She too possessed a confused and groggy expression.

The blond ANBU Shinobi returned his gaze to the rich man before speaking in a rather blank tone.

"Mr. Yoshida." At the older man's slow nod, the blond Shinobi spoke once more. "Hokage-sama requests his monthly check up."

The older man blinked in surprise for a moment before speaking. "Really? Now?" He turned his head towards his wife for a moment, locking eyes with her before returning his gaze towards the short male in front of him. "Those aren't usually done until the end of the month... But uh... Well, come on in, I guess."

Mr. Yoshida slowly stepped aside and gestured with his hand for the ANBU member to come inside. An unseen smile crept on the Shinobi's face as he slowly moved towards the doorway.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the blond Shinobi slowly tilted his head towards the rich merchant. His violet eye glowed ominously as he stared directly at the older man.

Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before the blond Shinobi gripped the outstretched hand of the man. In a swift maneuver, the blond Shinobi tugged the appendage down and delivered a vicious blow to the man's temple.

He was out before he could even comprehend it. The mismatched orbs of the ANBU Shinobi snapped towards the man's wife and in a burst of speed, took the woman down with swift chop to the throat.

A wheezing noise emitted from her throat before her head slammed into the wooden floors of her home courtesy of a punch to her eye from the blond Shinobi.

The teen glanced at the unconscious civilians before he slowly made his way back to the door. He proceeded to slowly close the door, all the while humming a haunting tune.

* * *

Mr. Yoshida slowly awoke from his slumber and heard the sound of steel scraping against metal. The sound was done in a rhythmic cadence.

It almost sounded like a kitchen knife being sharpened.

He managed to finally open his eyes and at first, everything was slightly blurry. It took a few seconds but he managed to finally open his eyes and the sight he awoke to horrified him.

Directly in front of him was his wife who appeared to be strapped to a wooden chair. Her throat had a nasty purple mark and she possessed a black eye. She was seated almost 3 feet in front of him.

His ebony orbs traveled down and noticed that he too was strapped to a chair. He desperately tried to flex the muscles in his arms but grunted in pain due to the action. He gave up on his endeavor as the sound of a baby rang out from directly behind him, completely out of sight.

The gurgles and babbles of an infant continued for several seconds and caused no small amount of dread to seep into Mr. Yoshida's heart.

His... His baby...

"Yuko!" He tried calling to his wife. "Yuko, wake up!"

The now named Yuko began to slowly stir as she groaned lowly. "My h-head... What the hell?"

Mr. Yoshida called out to her in a frantic tone. "We're tied up! Shinji is directly behind me! I can't see him!"

Yuko seemed to finally come to at that specific comment and immediately tried searching for the crib of their newborn baby. A horrified expression formed on her face that caused Mr. Yoshida's anxiety to spike through the roof.

"LET GO OF HIM!" She screamed hoarsely, still recovering from the injury to her throat.

Holding her newborn baby was the blond ANBU Shinobi that had attacked them. The man was slowly rocking the baby in his arms while staring directly into Yuko's eyes.

At her scream, he stopped rocking the child before slowly placing the infant in their crib. He disappeared in a plume of smoke and the sound of knives sharpening rang out once more.

Mr. Yoshida snapped towards the noise and noticed the blond ANBU Shinobi slowly walking towards them. He held one of their kitchen knives in his hand as he sharpened the weapon with one of his kunais.

"Wh-why are you doing this?!" He screamed out. "What do you want from us?!"

The masked Shinobi just tilted his head at the question before slowly ceasing his actions. He pocketed his kunai before slowly walking towards Yuko's position. He slowly placed the knife against the woman's throat who immediately froze at the cold metal making contact with her skin.

Tears began to slowly drip down her face as the flat end of the blade rested against her throat. She dared not speak in fear of what would happen.

"N-no no! Please! Wait! Don't!" Mr. Yoshida pleaded desperately. "I'll give you whatever you want! What is it?! Money?! Drugs?! What?! Please!"

The spiky haired Shinobi tilted his head before speaking in a blank tone.

"Juno Yoshida." The cold metal of the blade slowly danced on Yuko's neck who released quiet sobs from the actions. "Comply or your wife dies."

To make his point clear, the masked Shinobi turned his blade and lightly dug the blade into Yuko's throat. The woman released a grunt of pain as blood slowly dripped from the prick.

"OKAY OKAY! PLEASE!" He yelled out desperately. "I-I'll do anything! Just please... Don't hurt her..."

The masked Shinobi stared at the man for a moment before wiping the blood from the knife on Yuko's cheek. Fresh tears fell from her eyes as the masked man slowly moved away from her position while casually twirling his blade.

"Juno, Juno, Juno..." The teen began slowly, occasionally flipping the knife in his hand. "You've inadvertently placed yourself in my cross hairs. A shame too... The Yamanaka Clan truly enjoy their business with you."

The man seemed confused at the statement and before he could voice that confusion the blond teen continued speaking.

"Why am I doing this? An... _interesting_ question to ask, Juno." The blond ANBU Shinobi twirled his knife before stopping behind Yuko once more. "You should know exactly why I'm doing this."

The short male stared directly into the older man's eyes as he spoke. "You are a sick man, Juno Yoshida. A wife and a kid... Is that not enough for you? You commit these_ atrocities_ behind their back and expect no repercussions? That isn't acceptable, even more so when someone important to me was being targeted."

Yuko's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as tears idly dripped down her face. "Wh-what is he talking about Juno?!"

Before Juno could reply the young Shinobi rested his blade on Yuko's cheek causing her to tense up. "What _am_ I talking about, Juno? What _sick_ and _perverted_ fantasies have you been partaking in for the last five years?"

Juno swallowed nervously while desperately trying to escape from his seat. "I-I don't know... what you're talking about!"

The blond haired Shinobi tilted his masked visage at the man's statement before raising his knife in the air and bringing it down onto Yuko's shoulder. The woman released a hoarse scream as the blade sunk deep into her flesh, biting into the bone and causing blood to seep out from the wound near instantaneously.

"STOP! PLEASE JUST STOP!" Juno cried frantically as his wife writhed painfully in her seat.

The masked Shinobi ignored both of their screams as he ripped the knife out of the woman's shoulder. "You're starting to annoy me, Juno. Admit what you've done."

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" Juno denied as he thrashed against his restraints, desperately trying to escape.

The blond Shinobi stared at Juno for an entire minute, ignoring Yuko's pitiful sobbing and Juno's attempts at escaping. For several minutes he stood silently before shaking his head.

The young Shinobi proceeded to place his left hand on the woman's injured shoulder. Twirling his blade slowly, he leaned over while speaking. "Because of your actions Juno... You get to choose." He finished with a flourish of his knife.

The masked Shinobi slowly walked towards Shinji's crib before slowly picking the baby up. His knife rested incredibly close to the child's throat as he haphazardly held the baby in his arms.

"STOP! PLEASE! STOP STOP STOP!" Yuko screamed hoarsely as she thrashed in her restraints, causing her to scream shortly afterwards in pain due to her shoulder injury.

The blond Shinobi glanced towards the woman before making his way towards her, uncaring of the tears from the woman and her husband. He proceeded to drop the baby in the woman's lap before standing directly behind her while twirling his knife.

His masked visage met Juno's tear stained face as he spoke aloud. "So Mr. Yoshida, which will you choose? Your beautiful wife or your beloved child?" He draped his arms over the head of the wooden chair and leaned against the object, ignoring Yuko's terrified gasp.

Juno's eyes widened in terror as tears continued to fall from his face. "Ch-choose?! What do... What do you mean _choose..._?!"

The blond teen was silent for a brief moment before he used the knife in his hand to emphasize his statement.

"Choose." He pointed to Yuko. "Your wife..." The knife was now facing Shinji and he spoke again. "Or your child." He spun the knife in a reverse grip before speaking with finality.

"One gets to live and the other dies. And _you_ get to choose which."

The rich merchant's face broke down in despair as he stared at his wife and child. Tears fell freely and showed little signs of stopping.

The masked Shinobi watched on impassively as both wife and husband cried while speaking incoherently. Several minutes passed by before the blond Shinobi spoke once more, his patience finally waning.

"You have 10 seconds to choose. Good luck, Mr. Yoshida."

One second.

Two seconds.

"NO PLEASE!"

Three seconds.

"TAKE ME INSTEAD!"

Four seconds.

"That wasn't an option Mr. Yoshida."

Six seconds.

Seven seconds.

"JUNO CHOOSE SHINJI! DO IT!"

Nine seconds.

"I CHOOSE MY SON!"

There was silence for several moments as both husband and wife quietly sobbed due to their hopeless predicament.

"Very well."

The masked Shinobi twirled his knife before slitting the throat of Yuko without remorse. Her eyes widened exponentially and gurgling noises began to escape her. The copious amount of crimson liquid began to slowly fall to the floor, staining the expensive wood.

The blond Shinobi turned his attention away from the dying woman and stared directly into Juno's broken eyes. His mouth was open and tears fell down his face.

He made no noise.

The blond Shinobi slowly made his way around the dead woman and ignored the baby's wailing. He proceeded to crouch in front of Juno before slapping the man harshly.

"We're not done." Standing to his feet, he turned towards the man's child before gesturing with his blade. "If you want your child to live, you will need to _reach_ him."

Juno's eyes snapped towards the blond Shinobi's before he screamed. "I DID WHAT YOU WANTED!"

"Everyone in this world is capable of committing evil..." The ANBU Shinobi spoke blankly, ignoring Juno's outburst. "But what defines an _evil_ action? Is it the intent? Is it due to the individuals' morals?"

The young male shook his head before speaking again. "No, no no. It is none of those." He crouched in front of Juno as he spun his blade. "You see, it's all about _perspective_. Is it morally correct to punish an individual who has committed a crime? Of course, because they have done _wrong_."

The Shinobi pointed the blade directly at Juno's tear stained eyes while continuing. "_You_, Mr. Yoshida, have done something _wrong_. And what better way to punish you than taking away that which you cherish?"

The blond Shinobi tilted his head before brandishing his knife and making his way towards Yuko's corpse.

"NO WAIT! STOP! PLEASE!"

The blond Shinobi stopped for a second before turning his head towards Juno and speaking blankly. "Did you stop when those children begged and pleaded? Using those very same words?" He asked rhetorically.

The masked teen ignored Juno's widened eyes and proceeded to hold out the child's hand. He brandished his knife in his hand and proceeded to spread the baby's hand on Yuko's thigh with his free hand. The teen glanced towards Juno who was now screaming and pleading for him to stop.

"It isn't equivalent to the trauma you caused for several children, but it will make you suffer and that is enough for me. For every minute that you fail to reach my position will be a finger that is cut off from your child..."

To make his point clear, the man's knife sliced through one of the child's stubby digits. The child's cries grew in volume, joining Juno's frantic screams. The man began to viciously rock back and forth in his seat as he desperately clawed at the wood beneath his fingers.

The blond ANBU member just ignored the screams as he watched Juno desperately rock in his chair trying to reach his child.

"I wonder if those children struggled as much as you are now." He spoke offhandedly, ignoring the cries with ease.

Thirty seconds.

The man managed to crash the chair into the ground and due to his actions one of the arms of the chair broke, freeing one of his arms.

One minute.

"Two fingers... Good things often come in pairs..." The blond Shinobi proceeded to slice off another digit from the child while immediately cauterizing the wound, uncaring of the child's screaming and the now freed Juno. The man screamed out in rage and ran towards the blond Shinobi with reckless abandon.

Juno reached Yuko's corpse and before he could try to attack the blond Shinobi, he was stabbed in the throat from behind by a Tanto. He proceeded to gurgle several times before slowly falling to his knees.

Juno continued to stare at his maimed child as his left hand weakly reached out towards his child. Strength completely left his body as his fingers were but an inch away from his child. He proceeded to slide off of the blade that impaled him from behind and crashed onto the floor, dead.

"Even in death, you deny your punishment."

The masked Shinobi stared at his Shadow Clone before turning his attention to the wailing child. His Shadow Clone proceeded to dispell itself as the teen slowly rose to his feet.

The masked Shinobi stared at the child.

And stared.

And stared.

And stared.

* * *

The door to Juno's home opened and out stepped Naruto who was garbed in his usual outfit. Gone was the ANBU outfit, mask and Tanto. The only thing he kept from the outfit were the gloves that were still on his hands.

He proceeded to glance behind him and stood there for several moments.

Silence.

A small smirk formed on his face as he adjusted his own personal mask on his face. After making sure that his mask was positioned correctly, he closed the door behind him and placed his left hand into his pocket.

On his cheek was a single blood stain that was immediately wiped away by his thumb. He placed his right hand in his pocket and began to exit the property. Upon reaching the gate he made sure to lock it correctly, leaving no evidence of his picklocking attempt.

"Did you need to go so far?"

Naruto slowly glanced to his right and spotted Yugao who wasn't in her ANBU attire. She wore the standard Jonin uniform but opted for a mesh undershirt.

He shrugged his shoulders with an eerie grin before replying in a simple tone. "Yes... What would have happened to him otherwise? A prison sentence? Is that really a fitting punishment?" Naruto shook his head while glancing towards the sun. "Speak to the parents of the children he victimized and see if you think differently."

Neko was silent for a moment before speaking again, understanding what the boy was getting at. "Did the child deserve that treatment?"

The young blond was silent for a moment before replying in a matter of fact tone. "Children born from sin are tainted."

The purple haired woman was silent for a moment before she tilted her head, the action being far creepier than intended. "Your morals are rather ambiguous... It will get you killed."

The masked blond shrugged his shoulders before waving his hand lazily. "And I will accept my death with open arms... It would be a blessing."

Naruto began to walk away without another word as Neko watched him leave quietly. She turned back towards the home that housed a now triple homicide and shook her head quietly. She disappeared afterwards while making sure to tip off a random Shinobi so that they investigate the crime.

Yugao did not see the black raven that was perched on a nearby tree, watching the entire spectacle blankly. The bird was motionless for a single second before flapping its wings and disappearing into the sky.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late!"

Naruto's voice resounded through the clearing that belonged to Team 7. Three sets of eyes shifted towards the boy's position as he jogged into the clearing. Once reaching his team's position he proceeded to adjust his jacket with a small smile.

"It's unlike you to be late, Naruto." Came the voice of his Sensei. The lanky Jonin glanced up from his book for a quick second, spotting the single black glove on the boy's right hand. He stared at the object for a moment before returning his gaze to his book. Kakashi pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against and gestured with his hand.

"I needed to run some errands this morning..." Naruto adopted a confused expression as he glanced at Ino. "Did Ino not tell you?"

Before the girl could answer, Kakashi spoke. "She did. I was merely curious as to what exactly you needed." The man flipped a page in his book as he glanced towards Ino. "Little Ino claims you needed new supplies."

"He did!" She defended with an adorable pout, her cheeks puffing out indignantly.

Naruto made a flourish with his gloved hand as several Kunai and Shuriken appeared in his hand. He rose an eyebrow before speaking. "Not everyone comes from a prestigious clan that is respected by the village." He stared directly at Kakashi after his statement.

Kakashi's lone eye roamed back to Naruto after his comment. He was silent for a few moments before nodding his head. "Indeed." He replied simply.

Sasuke, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke from his seated position under the tree. "What are we doing today?"

"Good question." Kakashi replied without taking his attention off his book. "What do _you_ three wish to do?"

The three Genin blinked at the question as they glanced towards one another. After several seconds of silence, Ino spoke aloud.

"Uhh... You're allowing us to choose?" She asked with a curious tilt of the head.

Kakashi replied with a lazy gesture of his hand. "Yes, now choose... But all three of you must agree on one thing."

Naruto wrapped an arm around Ino while smiling brightly, ignoring her tiny yelp at being pulled into the boy. "How about a mission?"

"For once, I agree with him." Sasuke replied in a level tone.

Naruto ignored the Uchiha's response as a small smirk blossomed on his face. "Are we allowed to raise the stakes, Sensei?"

Ino furrowed her eyebrows at the question before glancing towards her best friend. "How do you raise the stakes for missions? We're stuck on D-Ranks anyway..." She didn't bother hiding her annoyed tone of voice when speaking about the D-Rank missions.

The blond Jinchuuriki chuckled as he booped Ino on her nose, ignoring her small pout. "By raising the _rank_ of the mission." He nodded his head with a smile before turning towards Kakashi. "How about a... _B-__Rank_ mission, hmm?"

Kakashi finallly rose his gaze from his book and stared at his Genin. He was silent for an entire minute before eventually shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"No..." He replied flippantly, while turning a page in his book and returning his gaze to the literature. "But I am open to the idea of doing a C-Rank."

Naruto grinned as he replied. "That's better than nothing I suppose."

Unsurprisingly, it was Ino who celebrated.

"Yaaaaaaaay~!" She pumped her fist into the air while cheering. "No more fence painting!"

Sasuke did not respond but it was clear that he was satisfied with the outcome. Naruto relinquished his half armed hug on Ino as he spoke.

"What are we waiting for?"

* * *

"A C-Rank, hmm?" Hiruzen's gaze rested solely on Naruto as the entirety of Team 7 stood in front of his desk. "You've been a 4-man cell for all of _one_ week... For what reason do you have to believe that this team is ready for a mission of this caliber, Kakashi?"

Despite addressing Kakashi his gaze ever strayed away from Naruto. In which the young male did not stray away from.

Kakashi rose his gaze from his book for a moment before shrugging. "You gave me the top three Genin from their graduating class and expect them to run D-Ranks for an entire month? C-Ranks are low risk, Hokage-sama."

While Kakashi's question came off as slightly condescending, Hiruzen understood the point he was making.

"I suppose I can't argue with that." The Sandaime glanced down at the papers on his desk before shifting through them. Several seconds passed before the elderly man singled out one of the papers. He skimmed through the contents for another minute before nodding his head with a low hum.

"You're in luck... A merchant has shipment that needs to be transferred to a minor town near the capital of Fire Country." He placed the parchment on his desk before rotating it and pushing it towards Kakashi.

The lanky Jonin idly picked the parchment up while simultaneously pocketing his erotic novel. His lone eye roamed along the information and details before he shrugged his shoulders. "Looks good enough for me..."

Turning towards his students the man handed the parchment to Sasuke who rose a single eyebrow.

"Read the details." Was all Kakashi said as he returned to his own literature.

Hiruzen tapped his desk as the remaining Genin of Team 7 read through the information on their contract. "Send in the client." He spoke aloud to a hidden Shinobi within the room.

Naruto's lone cerulean orb scanned the document for several moments before his eyes narrowed. He said nothing as he rolled the contract up before handing it back to Kakashi who wordlessly took the parchment.

"Isn't this exciting Naruto-kun?!" Ino questioned with a great deal of enthusiasm. "We get to _actually _do something!"

The blond Genin glanced at his best friend while sporting a small smile. "Id prefer to finally get my hands dirty."

The heiress's face scrunched up as she replied. "I'd... rather not." Her expression shifted slightly as she clasped her hands in an anxious manner. Naruto glanced at the Yamanaka and before he could reply, Sasuke gave his own two cents.

"You do realize you're going to have to eventually kill someone right?" He scoffed quietly while pocketing his hands. "You cant avoid it forever. Get used to it."

Naruto's violet eye strayed towards the Uchiha for a moment before he spoke quietly. "You talk too much."

Sasuke returned the boy's stare with one of his own. "And you care too much... She has to grow up eventually." He rolled his eyes before continuing. "If not, she won't succeed and it'll only hold the team back."

The blond Jinchuuriki continued to stare at the teen before tilting his head. "And _you're_ the expert on maturity?" Naruto scoffed while rolling his eyes. "You're a textbook Uchiha... All bark and no bite."

Before the Uchiha could respond, Ino cut in before the boys came to blows in the office. "Naruto... It's fine. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions." She glanced towards the Uchiha for a moment before continuing. "Regardless if I disagree or not, it doesn't change the fact that I want to avoid killing someone if I don't have to..."

Sasuke glared at Naruto before scoffing and turning his head away. "You won't get anywhere with that kind of resolve..."

"And you should shut your mouth." Naruto spoke from behind Ino, sporting a small smile after his words.

"That's _enough_." Hiruzen cut in sharply. "I won't have my Shinobi conducting themselves in such an immature manner, especially not in _my_ office. You do not have to _like _each other but you _will_ work together. Do I make self clear?"

"Crystal." Naruto answered in a rather amused tone.

"Yes." Sasuke spoke blankly.

Following the two teen's affirmation came a series of knocks on the Sandaime's door. The elderly man responded with a simple, "Come in."

The door opened as a rather tall man entered the office. He was garbed in a rather expensive Kimono and seemed to give off a holier-than-thou vibe.

The man glanced towards the Shinobi as he openly appraised them, not bothering to hide his distaste for the individuals chosen to accompany him.

Naruto tapped his mask as he spoke in an amused tone. "You already look disappointed... What a shame."

The rich merchant glanced towards the blond teen before sneering. "Your voice grates my hearing."

A small grin formed on Naruto's face as his violet orb gleamed under his mask. "And you make me _sick_." His head tilted eerily as he replied quietly. "Your contract states that you have to reach your destination... It didn't state whether or not you had to be _whole_ or _in pieces_."

The man actually shifted uncomfortably as he stared into the mismatched orbs of the blond teen. There was silence for several moments before Kakashi spoke, calming the man.

"You will be fine, Mr. Saizo. My student enjoys making others uncomfortable." He placed his book away before turning towards his students and speaking. "Gather your supplies and meet at the front gate in an hour."

* * *

Naruto and Ino watched Sasuke disappear into the crowds of villagers as the boy made his way towards his home to gather his supplies.

The heiress sported a small frown as she spoke. "He's so condescending..." Her voice was small as she rubbed her hands together. "I've tried to get along with him but..."

Naruto glanced towards the girl before scoffing. "He's not going to change... You're better off just ignoring him."

"I'm not going to do that Naruto." She replied with a shake of her head, jostling her platinum blonde locks of hair.

The Jinchuuriki sighed while placing his hands into his pockets. "If that's what you want." He spoke simply.

The masked teen proceeded to walk away from the building with Ino following at his side. The two teen's were silent as they weaved in and out of the crowds of villagers.

The hairs on the back of Naruto's neck rose slightly as he rounded a corner. He glanced towards Ino out the corner of his mask before speaking with a small smile.

"Go on ahead to the compound and get our supplies. I'll grab some extra equipment for us."

Ino turned towards Naruto with furrowed brows. "Do you think we'll need it?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders while retaining his small smile. "Can't be too prepared, can ya?"

"I guess so..." She shrugged her shoulders before giving Naruto a hug and racing off. "Get me some extra kunai!"

The Jinchuuriki stared at her retreating form for a few moments before glancing towards one of the alley's in the marketplace. He spotted a familiar ebony haired woman who was leaning on the stone walls with her arms crossed. The woman's crimson gaze centered on him for several seconds before she pushed off the stone wall while walking deeper into the alley. Naruto made his way towards the woman before rounding the corner of the alley and coming face to face with Mikoto.

The Matriarch of the Uchiha Clan was once again leaning on the stone wall of the building with her arms crossed. She tilted her head towards the boy who maintained his distance away from her.

Both Shinobi were silent as their unique eyes bore into one another.

Mikoto's Sharingan blazed like an inferno as she remained silent, studying the child in front of her. In return, the boy's unique violet eye gazed at her soullessly.

It was the Uchiha Matriarch that broke the silence. "Quite a mess you left this morning."

Naruto wasn't surprised that Mikoto was aware of his actions regarding Juno and his family. She was a dangerous woman after all and she was certainly keeping tabs on him.

"I took out the trash." He replied simply. "Juno was a sick man."

Mikoto continued to stare at the boy for several seconds before directing her gaze away from the blond teen. "You two shared something in common." Her gaze returned to the boy as she spoke. "You enjoy making people suffer."

Naruto was silent for a moment before replying with a small shrug. "I won't deny that... But Juno crossed a line years ago."

Mikoto scoffed quietly as she closed her eyes, turning her head away from Naruto. "You act as if you truly care about those children he victimized." She shook her head while continuing. "Had you truly cared then you would have ordered that woman to kill him long ago."

Naruto did not respond to the woman's statement, knowing that it was true.

"You specifically targeted Juno... Which means he would have either done something to truly anger you or someone important to you had been affected."

Still, Naruto did not respond.

"Juno was a supplier for the Yamanaka Clan... Would it be incorrect to assume that Juno's unhealthy obsession with children made you nervous? Inoichi does have a daughter afterall... Perhaps the man's eyes had befallen on the heiress?"

The boy's demeanor shifted after her statement. His violet eye seemed to glow as he stared directly at her. An almost oppressive aura seemed to waft off the teen as he pocketed his hands.

"Do you care about your sons?"

Mikoto's eyes narrowed dangerously as she stared at the blond teen. It didn't matter if she was correct or not with her assumption. The boy had a weakness.

A weakness that was incredibly evident now.

But that weakness meant nothing if the boy was capable of controlling her sons as evidenced earlier when he was speaking to Yugao.

Who knew the extent of his ability and what it could potentially do... If someone as powerful as Itachi was capable of being controlled then there was possibly no limit to his ability.

"How many?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

Naruto rose an unseen eyebrow before replying. "How many what?" He feigned ignorance.

"How many do you control?" She specified.

The blond teen just stared at the woman before replying flippantly. "Enough..."

Mikoto was silent for several long seconds before responding coldly. "Every ability has a weakness..." Her Sharingan spun ferociously as she pushed herself away from the wall. "And when I find _your_ weakness..." Her Sharingan spun before morphing and changing completely.

"I'm _going_ to kill you."

Mikoto's body exploded in a cloud of feathers followed by the squalling of several dozen Ravens. The black birds squawked loudly before flying away, leaving hundreds of feathers in their wake.

Naruto followed the birds for several minutes before speaking quietly. "There is no weakness to the power of absolute obedience."

**AN: Bit of a short chapter and all that. Yeah yeah yeahhhhhh. I need to address some things from previous chapters. **

**1\. Mikoto's actions towards Naruto - Mikoto is not and was not a close friend of Kushina in this story. It should be incredibly evident. It's as simple as that.**

**2\. Hiruzen being downplayed - Hiruzen cannot and will not beat an Itachi who possesses the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. It isn't happening. If you think Hiruzen is going to get through Itachi's Susanoo then you're high.**

**3.** **Naruto's abilities (Yes, _abilities_) - I've given you all you need to know, literally. Go to chapter 4 and reread it. It's all right there. And Naruto, in this very chapter, says what his main ability is.**

**ANYWAY! That's it! Review, Follow and Favorite! (:**


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